Question

In Shakespeare’s time, for example, only a few million people spoke English, and the language was not thought to be very important by the other nations of Europe, and was unknown to the rest of the world.

Answer 1

Я так поняла, вам нужен перевод)
Во времена Шекспира, например, только несколько миллионов человек говорили по-английски и язык не был очень важен у различных наций Европы, и был незнаем для остального мира.

Answer 2

It is true that in Shakespeare's time, English was not as widely spoken or considered as important as it is today. According to estimates, the total population of England in the late 16th century was around 4 million, and only a fraction of those people spoke English as their first language.

At that time, other European languages such as Spanish, French, and Italian were considered more prestigious and widely used for international diplomacy and trade. English was still seen as a relatively simple and unsophisticated language, lacking the complexity and refinement of the classical languages such as Latin and Greek.

However, it is important to note that English was already beginning to emerge as a significant language of literature and culture in Shakespeare's time, with writers like Shakespeare himself and others helping to shape and elevate the language through their works. And over the centuries that followed, English would gradually become one of the most widely spoken and influential languages in the world.