English in the world: A very brief history of a global language

Summary

The English language, with origins in northern Europe and a complex history involving Germanic tribes, Romans, Vikings, and Normans, became established as England's language in the 14th century. Its spread was significantly propelled by colonialism, leading to the development of diverse English forms worldwide. In the 20th century, further expansion occurred through entertainment, politics, media, and technology, cementing English as a global language. It continues to evolve and adapt, reflecting its dynamic and ever-changing nature.

Takeaways

• 🕰️ English has a history of over 1,500 years, making it relatively young in the context of human languages.
• 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 The name 'English' is derived from its origins in England, despite its complex beginnings.
• 🌐 English originated from Germanic tribes such as the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes in Northern Europe.
• 🌊 These tribes migrated across what was not yet called the English Channel to Great Britain, displacing the Celtic-speaking Britons.
• 🏛️ Before the Germanic tribes, the Romans colonized the island, influencing the linguistic landscape.
• 🐲 Subsequent invasions by the Vikings and the Normans further enriched the English language with their own tongues.
• 🏛️ English was not formally recognized as the language of England until the 14th century, with its first use in parliament and law.
• 👑 King Henry IV was the first English monarch to speak English natively, marking a significant milestone in the language's establishment.
• 🌍 The spread of English was significantly influenced by colonialism, leading to the development of indigenous forms of English in various countries.
• 🌐 In some regions, English coexisted with local languages, fostering new linguistic variations.
• 🎬 The 20th century saw English's global expansion through entertainment, politics, media, and technology, cementing its status as a global language.
• 🔄 English is a constantly evolving language, expected to continue changing far into the future.

Q & A

How long has the English language existed?

The English language has existed for a little over one and a half thousand years.

Why is the language called 'English'?

The language is called 'English' because of its associations with England, although its origins are more complex and rooted in various Germanic tribes.

Which tribes are credited with the early development of the English language?

The Angles, Saxons, and Jutes are credited with the early development of the English language, as they crossed the channel to Great Britain.

What was the original name of the channel that the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes crossed?

The channel was not called the 'English Channel' until the 18th century; prior to that, it did not have a specific name associated with English.

What languages were spoken by the Britons before the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons?

The Britons spoke Celtic languages, which are the ancestors of modern languages like Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, and Cornish.

Who else had a significant influence on the development of the English language besides the Anglo-Saxons?

The Romans, Vikings, and Normans also had a significant influence on the development of the English language, each bringing their own languages and mixing them with English.

When did English become the official language used in parliament and law in England?

English became properly established as the language of England in the 14th century, and it was first used in parliament and law during this time.

Who was the first king of England to speak English as his native language?

Henry IV was the first king of England to speak English as his native language; he came to the throne in 1399.

What was the primary driver for the spread of the English language after it was established in England?

The primary driver for the spread of the English language was colonialism, which led to the establishment of English in many countries around the world.

How did the English language develop in countries where it was introduced through colonialism?

In some countries, English pushed out the local language, leading to indigenous forms of English. In others, it existed alongside local languages, resulting in the development of new forms of English.

What factors contributed to the continued spread of English in the 20th century?

The spread of English in the 20th century was facilitated by the entertainment industry, politics, media, and technology, making it a truly global language.

How does the English language continue to evolve?

The English language continues to evolve and change over time, adapting to new influences and contexts, and this process is expected to continue far into the future.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 The Origins and Evolution of English

This paragraph traces the history of the English language, which has been around for over 1500 years, a relatively short period in the context of human language and civilization. It originated from Germanic tribes such as the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes who migrated to Great Britain, where they encountered Britons speaking Celtic languages. The Romans and later the Vikings and Normans also influenced the language. English wasn't firmly established as the language of England until the 14th century, with Henry IV being the first king to speak it natively. The spread of English was significantly propelled by colonialism, leading to the development of indigenous forms of English in various countries and its coexistence with local languages elsewhere. The 20th century saw further global spread through entertainment, politics, media, and technology, solidifying its status as a global language. The paragraph concludes by emphasizing the dynamic nature of English and its continuous evolution.

Keywords

💡English language

The English language is the focus of the video, with a history that spans over one and a half thousand years. It is a Germanic language that originated in northern Europe and is now a global language due to various historical and cultural influences. The script discusses its evolution and spread, highlighting how it became the language of England and later, through colonialism and globalization, a language of international communication.

💡England

England is the geographic and cultural heartland of the English language. The script explains that the language is named after this region, which was settled by Germanic tribes such as the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes. It is also where English was first established as the official language for governance and law in the 14th century, with Henry IV being the first king to speak it natively.

💡Germanic tribes

The term 'Germanic tribes' refers to the groups like the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes who migrated from northern Europe to Great Britain. They played a crucial role in the formation of the English language, as their languages merged with the local Celtic languages, laying the foundation for Old English.

💡Channel

The Channel, historically not called the English Channel until the 18th century, is the body of water that separates England from continental Europe. It is significant in the script as the route the Germanic tribes took to reach Great Britain, which led to the linguistic and cultural changes that shaped the English language.

💡Britons

Britons were the Celtic-speaking inhabitants of Great Britain before the arrival of the Germanic tribes. Their languages, which include the ancestors of modern Welsh, Scottish Gaelic, and Cornish, were influenced by and contributed to the development of the English language.

💡Romans

The Romans are mentioned in the script as having colonized large parts of Great Britain, bringing with them their own languages and contributing to the linguistic diversity of the island. Their rule and the subsequent mixing of cultures and languages had an impact on the development of English.

💡Vikings

Vikings were seafaring people from the Nordic regions who raided and settled in various parts of Europe, including England. The script notes their arrival and the influence they had on the English language, adding to its vocabulary and grammatical structures.

💡Normans

The Normans were a group of people from what is now France who invaded and ruled England in the 11th century. The script indicates that they also had a linguistic impact on English, contributing to its vocabulary and further enriching the language.

💡Colonialism

Colonialism is a historical process where powerful nations establish control over weaker regions, often leading to the spread of the colonizer's language and culture. The script highlights colonialism as a key factor in the global spread of English, where it either replaced local languages or existed alongside them, leading to the development of indigenous forms of English.

💡Global language

The term 'global language' refers to a language that is widely spoken and understood across the world, transcending national boundaries. In the script, English is described as becoming a truly global language in the 20th century, facilitated by the entertainment industry, politics, media, and technology.

💡Henry IV

Henry IV, who came to the throne in 1399, is noted in the script as the first king of England to speak English as his native language. This signifies a milestone in the establishment of English as the primary language of the country.

Highlights

The English language has existed for over 1,500 years, a relatively short period in the history of human language and humankind.

English is named for its origins in England, but its history is more complex than that simple association.

The roots of English lie in the Germanic tribes of the north of Europe, not originally called English.

Angles, Saxons, and Jutes were the Germanic tribes that migrated to Great Britain.

The English Channel was not named as such until the 18th century.

Great Britain was inhabited by Britons speaking Celtic languages before the arrival of the Anglo-Saxons.

The Romans and people from various parts of the Roman Empire colonized large parts of the island before the Anglo-Saxons.

Vikings and Normans also influenced the development of the English language with their languages.

English became the official language of England in the 14th century, first used in parliament and law.

Henry IV was the first king of England to speak English as his native language, marking a significant milestone.

Colonialism was a key driver in the spread of English, often replacing local languages.

In some countries, English coexisted with local languages, leading to the development of new English forms.

The 20th century saw further global spread of English through entertainment, politics, media, and technology.

English is a truly global language today, with a history of constant change and evolution.

The English language will continue to change and adapt far into the future.

The Open University offers more insights into the history and impact of the English language.

Transcripts

English In The World

The English language has existed for a little over

one and a half thousand years.

Which, in the grand scheme of things is just

a blip in the history of human language.

And an even smaller blip in  the history of humankind.

The language is called English

because of its associations with England.

Which sounds straightforward enough,

although it's actually a bit  more complicated than this.

English had its roots here in the north of Europe.

Although of course, it wasn't called English then.

There were a number of germanic tribes.

The Angles, Saxons, and the Jutes,

who crossed the channel;

It wasn't called the English  channel until the 18th century.

And found out across the island of Great Britain

which at the time was inhabited  by Britons who spoke Celtic languages,

the ancestors of Welsh,  Scottish Gaelic, and Cornish

before the Anglo-Saxons arrived

the Romans had also colonised  large parts of the island

along with people from various  parts of the Roman Empire.

Later the Vikings came

and then the Normans.

All speaking their own languages

and also mixing their languages with English.

It wasn't until the 14th century that English

became properly established  as the language of England

and was used for the first time  in parliament and in the law.

The first king of England to speak  English as his native language

was Henry IV.

Henry came to the throne in 1399

almost a thousand years after  the Anglo-Saxons arrived

but once English was established,

it also began to spread or more  accurately it began to be spread.

The most important driver for this was colonialism

in lots of countries, English pushed  out the local language,

and indigenous forms of English developed

In other countries, English existed  alongside the local languages

and new forms developed.

In the 20th century, it continued to spread

through the entertainment industry,  politics, the media, and technology,

so that today it's a truly global language.

Throughout its history, it's always changing

and we'll continue to do so

far into the future.

Get more from the open university,

check out the links on screen now.