History of English

Here is a nice little rundown of the history of the English Language. Check it out!

As we see in the video, many different groups have left their mark on the English language throughout its history. Name some of the words or expressions that originate from these sources:

• The Anglos and the Saxons
• The Vikings
• William the Conqueror and the Norman Conquest
• Shakespeare
• The King James Bible
• Scientists like Hook, Boyle and Newton
• Local words from Australia, Africa, India and the Caribbean

Class Discussion Questions

1. According to this video, which cultural and linguistic groups contributed new vocabulary to American English? Can you think of any others which the video does not mention?
2. As we heard, the English language borrows words from a total of 350 other languages. Therefore, the narrator argues, nowadays English has little to do with England. He also suggests that perhaps we should consider changing the name of the language to something other than English. Do you agree? Why or why not?

LANGUAGE REVERTS TO TYPE

• Do you know these terms and abbreviations?
• How often do you use them?

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