A study analysis conducted by Fairfax Media showed that three out of ten people in Melbourne speak a language other than English when they return to their homes. In fact, according to the relevant data, 251 languages from all around the world are currently spoken in the Australian city.

Greek is the first most spoken language, followed by Italian, Mandarin, Vietnamese, Cantonese and Arabic. This shows that the large number of Greek migrants who have settled in Melbourne, and especially in the South East and Peninsula area, are still in touch with their roots.

In total, the study found that 200,000 more residents of Melbourne speak a language other than English, compared to the data from a decade ago. In the suburbs, more than 50% of the population consists of people who speak another language, most of whom are trying to stay connected with their cultural heritage.

Finally, the analysis showed that the population of Mandarin speakers has largely increased. In 2001 there were only 60,000 speakers, while now there are more than 100,000 due to the increase in migrant arrivals. This makes Mandarin the second most spoken language in the city’s inner areas.

Source: Fairfax Media