The development of the English language began in the Middle Ages in England. English is a Germanic language that has many Romance influences. From the time of the birth of English up to the present, its influence on the English language continues to grow. English is the mother language for more than 300 million people in the following countries: Great Britain, Ireland, the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica as well as South Africa.

Global spoken languages, English also plays a vital part in aviation, the IT and film industries, pop music, and other aspects. Today it is the only world language that is undisputed.

History Of The English Language

The origin of English is traced to Germanic tribes, including The Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. They arrived in their current location in the British Isles around 450. The first Celtic inhabitants were driven to the west and north (Scotland and Wales).

The language spoken by The language of Angles, Saxons, and Jutes is what we refer to as Old English. Current English has developed from this. There were many influences from the outside. When the Vikings arrived in England about 800 in the year 800, they brought Danish as well as Norwegian. From 1066 after 1066, the French significantly influenced English for three centuries.

Because of colonialism, English is widely spoken across the globe. At its highest point in 1921, the British Empire comprised a quarter of the population and a quarter of the Earth’s landmass.

While the British Empire is no more, There is an agreement between the previous British colonies. This is the Commonwealth of Nations (in English: Commonwealth of Nations).

English can be typically broken down into the following phases:

• Old English, 7th and 8th centuries Also called Anglo-Saxon and is mentioned by Beowulf.
• Middle English, 12th-15th century was affected by Norman (a French dialect) following the Battle of Hastings.
• New English, 16th century to present.

Language Family

English is part of languages belonging to the Germanic languages, a category of Indo-European languages that form part of the more prominent family. The Indo-European languages comprise the largest family of languages of which all languages in Europe are part. It is a West Germanic language and most closely connected with Frisian, Low Saxon, and Dutch in addition to German (also West Germanic languages). In lesser amounts, English is also related to the Scandinavian language (the North Germanic languages) and Gothic (an extinct East Germanic language). Three subgroups are identified from the Germanic languages: the Northern (including Norwegian, Danish, and Swedish) and the Continental (including German and Dutch), and the Western one, to which English is a part.

The Influence Of Other Languages

Since the British Empire is the home of many different peoples and spread throughout the world, numerous influences from other languages are found.

• There was plenty in the way of influences from Old Norse in earlier times because of the numerous Vikings who settled in the area. A few examples include sky eggs, call, and sky.
• The most significant influence of linguistics on English was derived from the French during the lengthy Norman rule in England. Almost 30% of the present English is traceable back to French!
• Many loanwords originated from different Romance languages, notably Latin, Spanish and Italian.
• There’s also some influence from Dutch, particularly words from transportation. A few popular ones include the word “brandy” (from brandy) and skate and skate. Santa Claus can be our Sinterklaas as well as maybe less well-known is the fact that cookies are derived from biscuits.
• There are Celtic Influences, though smaller than one would think. It is believed that Celtic influences influenced the English language and grammar.

English is, therefore, a Germanic language with many Romanesque elements. Therefore, English has a broad vocabulary. Often multiple words have the same meaning, with the Germanic version being more prevalent for everyday use. The French or Latin variant is usually the standard written language.

Worldwide

The English formed within the British Isles for around 1000 years, and navigators, merchants, soldiers, pilgrims, and missionaries of the British Empire expanded it across the globe. By the moment people started thinking about adopting a policy on language, English was already in every corner of the world. It is also the official language of the former British colonial colonies.

This explains why English was not the dominant language in this area of Asian and African colonies. Administration, business as well as education were carried out in English. However, this was never the majority language. From the beginning of English until the present, the influence of English has continued to grow. 

English is now the primary or the official language of 75 nations, a direct result of the British Empire.

Learn English online and enhance your speaking skills because English is the most widespread language globally.

English: A Germanic Language

Numerous factors have contributed to English development, which is currently classified as a Germanic one (German, Dutch, etc. ).In linguistics, languages are classified based on their genetic connection: standard features that differentiate the languages they are compared to. These factors are apparent in the syntax and grammar (English is more similar to German than French grammar-wise).

Just 26 percent of English vocabulary originates directly from Germanic words. We see an unmistakable resemblance to German in the following words:

• apple
• arms
• house
• and

58 percent of English words are derived from the Romance language. We see an unmistakable resemblance to French in terms like:

• pork
• beef
• human
• library
• animal
• keep ongoing
• journey

Due to this beautiful mix, Some experts want to see a change in how they define English.

Conclusion

Understanding the roots of the English language isn’t easy. Still, it’s fascinating to observe how it has developed. Today, the English language is of global significance as millions of people utilize it daily. Discover tips why English is hard to learn? as it’s an excellent exercise that lets you connect with people worldwide.