I think english is the universal language precisely because it is open to change, whilst most national languages get precious about control and limitation, english adapts and changes according to usage.
Something new happens, english adapts, most national languages spend years trying to come up with a local version that doesn't recognise the already accepted english version.
Each so called english speaking country has it's own version of english, in NZ we've incorporated a lot of Te Reo, also a national language here.
We won't even mention America and their idea's on spelling.
Even in Britain, there's Welsh and Gaelic, both of which are national languages.
As a way of communicating between peoples with their own national languages it tends to be practical and efficient. It's also living and transmutable which is more than most other languages.