Linguist Braj Kachru developed the three circles model in the mid-1980s to describe the spread of English and describe the various degrees to which English is prevalent in each country. The model visualizes English as a series of three differently-sized circles, arranged concentrically like a bulls-eye. While even Kachru admits there are still a few edge cases that don't fit cleanly into any of the three circles, his model nonetheless accommodates the majority of the world's countries using a mere three distinct categories:
The Inner Circle — The smallest circle, this section includes countries in which English is the native language of the majority of the population: mainly the United States, the United Kingdom and Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, South Africa, and much of Canada. The Inner Circle is the "norm-providing" circle, where native speakers continue to evolve the language's rules and usage.
