7 facts about the English language
English originated in England where other roots of the English language had previously emerged.
In English, two words or phrases can be joined to form another word, often creating a new meaning. For example, hangry is formed from the combination of hunger and angry.
Certain English words are palindromes which means the letters are the same both backwards and forwards, such as madam.
A single sentence that includes every letter of the alphabet at least once is known as a pangram.
The English language also contains tautonyms which are words formed by the repetition of a word, such asso-so, meaning "just fine." These occur most often as scientific names for species.
Time is the most often used noun.
The term dord was accidentally created when publishing a dictionary and remained in the dictionary for eight years during the mid-20th century.
Origin of the language
The English language originated in northwest Germany and northern Netherlands in the 5th century.
History of the language
It is believed that the use of Old English spanned 700 years, from the Anglo-Saxon colonization of Britain in the fifth century until the later 11th century.
Learning the language
A non-English speaker should expect to learn English in about 500 hours.
English language diversity
English is the most widely spoken language in many parts of the world, with more than 300 million native speakers. It’s also an official or national language for over 60 countries around the globe! From Great Britain to Australia and New Zealand English can be found everywhere you look.
Did you know?
Although about 85% of Old English terms are no longer in use, those that have remained are essential units of the Modern English lexicon.
In the case of Australian English and other varieties of English, there are variations in pronunciation relating to stress, weak forms, and typical sound of separate syllables.
The majority of individuals in the United Kingdom communicate with a local accent or dialect. However, only approximately 2% of Britons use an accent known as “The Queen’s English.”
Canadian English is a mixture of both British and American English, but there are many unique features that make it special.
English for beginners
Ten common words to start learning in English
Beauty
Love
Family
Rain
Hope
Goodbye
Thanks
Hello
Home
Happy
Men can only be happy when they do not assume that the object of life is happiness.
George Orwell
Author and journalist
A determined soul will do more with a rusty monkey wrench than a loafer will accomplish with all the tools in a machine shop.
Robert Hughes
Art critic and author
Not all those who wander are lost.
J. R. R. Tolkien
Writer, poet and academic
Fun facts about the English language
Evolution of English
Words or phrases used in the English language that are derived from French are frequently seen as more formal whereas words derived from Old English are regarded as more casual.
Old English
Anglo-Saxon is a term used to describe the Old English language.
Gender identification
Unlike Modern English, Old English had terms for three genders: masculine, feminine and neuter.
Contribution in literature
Well-known poetry and novels dominate English literature, but this tradition began much earlier with four texts containing the majority of Old English literature dating from the late 10th and early 11th centuries.
Difference between Old and Modern English
Old English differs significantly from Modern English in that it has a more significant number of Germanic terms.
