A Short History of The English Language

From a small, wet island, English has come to be the world's dominant language.

How did this actually happen, where does English actually come from, and how has the language changed over the years?

Full transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/history-of-english-language

From a small, wet island, English has come to be the world's dominant language.

How did this actually happen, where does English actually come from, and how has the language changed over the years?


How many people speak English
Why English isn't a 'pure' language (English as a mongrel dog, and as a soup)
Anglo-Saxons & "Old" English
Anglo-Saxon words in English today (and why you should use them)
“Short words are best, and old words when short are best of all.” 
Invasion by the Vikings (and the impact on the English language)
Invasion by the Normans (and their linguistic impact)
How French words became 'fancier' versions of the original English
The French linguistic influence on how we talk about food in English
William Shakespeare & the 1,700 words he added to English
"Borrowing" words from the colonies
How many countries speak English today
English's incredible ability to change (and why some people still don't like that)

Full transcript, subtitles and key vocabulary available on the website: https://www.leonardoenglish.com/podcasts/history-of-english-language