The Evolution of Enlish

EVOLUTION OF ENGLISH

I always used to wander what would have happened to this world if no one had been curious enough to cross lakes, rivers, seas and oceans to see the other side. We would have still lived a life that we had studied in our first history textbook. Many call the Europeans especially the British, as cruel, opportunist, greedy conquerors that plundered and voided everywhere they went. Everyone boo them but I would like to applaud them. Now my readers please don’t come to the conclusion that I support these despoilers. Instead I applaud them for the part they played in implementing English Language in all local schools and forcing their education system in the occupied countries. Of course their intention was purely with a selfish motif.

Any language is constantly evolving, but the way English has evolved is very interesting and quick. In fact, the words ‘English’ and ‘England’ are borrowed words. Before 5 A.D., the people who lived in the present Britain spoke a language called Celtic. When a tribe called Angles of Englaland in Northern Germany invaded Britain, they brought their language Englisc with them. Thus, along with the people their language also settled in this country. After that there have been many invasions from other countries and migration to other places that led to a great evolution of the language. There has been a lot of borrowing and metamorphosing of words ever since. I’m very sure that if a man who had lived in Britain during 3 A.D woke up from a long sleep or come to the present world by time machine, he would be greatly flabbergasted by the way the natives speak.

The settling of British in North America has led to the freezing of certain words used in the Shakespearean era and thus forming a new variety called American English. For a time this type of English became more common thanks to the rise of American power, invention of computer and progress in communication. But today, educationalists prefer British English to American English in almost all countries. And there are wide varieties of English according to the country where it’s used since linguists add their own commonly used words into the ‘real British English’.

It’s not just migration and conquest that has led to the changes in this language. Preferences can be given to globalization and the progress in the fields of telecommunications and science too. A student who is given a 1980 edition Oxford English Dictionary is sure to find many words missing that is presently seen in today’s dictionary. And it’s not just words but even the meanings of some old words have drastically changed along with socio-political changes. So the English that we are learning today in the class will drastically change by the time your child and grandchildren start to go to school. Best of luck my students .Who knows, may be one among you will create a new word that may enter into the dictionary.