Five Events in The History of English

Philip Durkin, Principal etymologist at the Oxford English Dictionary, chooses five events that shaped the English Language.

English History

English is a widely distributed language originating in England.

English is currently the primary language of several countries.

It is extensively used as a second language and as an official language in many other countries.

English is the most widely taught and understood language in the world, and sometimes is described as a lingua franca.

Although Modern Standard Chinese has more mother-tongue speakers (approximately 700 million), English is unquestionably used by more people as a second or foreign language, putting the total number of English-speakers worldwide at well over one billion.