Short Essay On English

The English language in the world today

There are more than 7 billion people on earth and there are almost 7000 living languages in the world today. English has become a lingua franca, a common language to enable communication across borders and continents. Looking back at the history of English, it can be divided into three main periods: First period is called Old English starting from 450 AD, second period is called Middle English starting from 1100 AD and Modern English starting after 1500 AD. Old English sounds nothing like modern English and is also known as Anglo-Saxon as it was spoken by the Anglo-Saxons. In the 15th century, the English language has evolved to a state that is closer to modern English and can be mostly understood today. The English language has been influenced by a number of other languages over the centuries and has incorporated many words from other languages. The widespread use of the English language began with the growth of the British Empire, and in the late 1800s the Queen of Britain ruled over a quarter of the Earth with her powerful navy. At the height of its Empire, Britain had colonies all over the world and

The American way of life has spread around the world like wildfire. Every day we get exposed to American music, movies, and television and that has spread the English language around the globe. Very few countries have escaped the influence of the USA. I visited Burma around 15 years ago and because of its closed border, the American influence had been minimal. Few people had computers and even fewer were allowed to use Internet. The magazines in the shops were printed on rough brownish paper and the selection was small. Workers at the hotel had learned basic English, but the locals had not learned English, so I had to use gestures to communicate. The locals were very friendly and helpful and I felt very lucky to have visited Burma before it had become