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e. English is a West Germanic language that originated from Ingvaeonic languages brought to Britain in the mid-5th to 7th centuries AD by Anglo-Saxon migrants from what is now northwest Germany, southern Denmark and the Netherlands. The Anglo-Saxons settled in the British Isles from the mid-5th century and came to dominate the bulk of southern ...
Jun 18, 2024 · English language is a West Germanic language that originated in England and spread to many parts of the world. It is the dominant language of several countries and the most widely used lingua franca. Learn about its history, development, characteristics, and varieties from Britannica, the online encyclopedia that covers a wide range of topics and personalities.
- The English language is an Indo-European language in the West Germanic language group. Modern English is widely considered to be the lingua franca...
- As of 2020 there are 1.27 billion English speakers around the world. This makes it the most spoken language, ahead of Mandarin Chinese (1.12 billio...
- There has been much public and academic debate on whether African American Vernacular English (AAVE) is a dialect of English or its own separate la...
- Having emerged from the dialects and vocabulary of Germanic peoples—Angles, Saxons, and Jutes—who settled in Britain in the 5th century CE, English...
- English is not the official language of the United States of America. The country does not have an official language on the federal level. Many sta...
Learn how English evolved from a West German language to the most widely spoken language in the world today. Explore the historical, cultural and linguistic influences that shaped the English language in chapters, timeline, glossary and sources.
Jun 18, 2024 · English language - Old English, Middle English, Modern English: Among highlights in the history of the English language, the following stand out most clearly: the settlement in Britain of Jutes, Saxons, and Angles in the 5th and 6th centuries; the arrival of St. Augustine in 597 and the subsequent conversion of England to Latin Christianity; the Viking invasions of the 9th century; the Norman ...
Learn how English evolved from a Germanic language spoken by the Anglo-Saxons to a global, dominant language influenced by many other languages. Explore the different periods, dialects, and features of Old, Middle, and Modern English.
English is a West Germanic language in the Indo-European language family, whose speakers, called Anglophones, originated in early medieval England. [4] [5] [6] The namesake of the language is the Angles, one of the ancient Germanic peoples that migrated to the island of Great Britain.
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A comprehensive and up-to-date survey of the history and development of English from the earliest writings to its global spread. Edited by Richard Hogg and David Denison, the volume covers sounds, word structure, grammar and vocabulary, with maps and diagrams.
