It's true that Indo-European languages are spoken by a large portion of the world's population. Estimates vary, but it's generally accepted that around 45-50% of the world's population speaks an Indo-European language as their native tongue. This makes it the largest language family by native speakers.
However, "half the population" is a bit of an oversimplification. Here's why:
* The number of speakers is constantly changing. Language families are dynamic, and the number of speakers of any given language can fluctuate over time due to various factors like migration, globalization, and language revitalization efforts.
* "Speaking a language" can be interpreted in different ways. It could refer to native speakers, second language speakers, or even people who understand a language passively but don't actively speak it.
* Focus on native speakers can be misleading. While Indo-European languages have a large number of native speakers, they also have a vast number of second language speakers, especially in regions like South Asia and Southeast Asia.
Overall, while the statement is generally accurate, it's important to understand the complexities of language families and the nuances of how we measure language use.