By Number of Native Speakers:
* Mandarin Chinese: With around 1.1 billion native speakers, Mandarin Chinese is the most spoken language by far.
* Hindi: With around 600 million native speakers, Hindi comes in second.
By Total Number of Speakers:
* English: While not the language with the most native speakers, English has a massive number of second-language speakers, bringing its total number of speakers to over 1.5 billion.
By Geographical Distribution:
* English: English is spoken in more countries than any other language and is the official language of many international organizations.
By Influence on Other Languages:
* English: English has had a significant influence on vocabulary and grammar in many languages due to its widespread use in global communication, trade, and technology.
By Literature and Cultural Impact:
* English: English literature and culture have had a profound impact on the world.
By Technological Dominance:
* English: English is the primary language of the internet, science, and technology.
Ultimately, the most prolific language depends on how you define "prolific." Each of these factors offers a different perspective on the global reach and influence of languages.