The Origins Of Modern English!

Language, something most of us take for granted, it comes so easily when you're a child. Children are able to learn any language if introduced to it at a very early age. But there are so many languages in the modern world, so surely anyone who is bilingual would have a distinct advantage in the job market you would think. I've noticed as a UK national, that most other countries are way ahead of us when it comes to learning other languages. I've been abroad a few times and I've noticed that not only do a surprising amount of people talk in English as their second language, they do so surprisingly well.

So, where did this language of ours come from? Most of us will have heard that English is derived from Proto-Indo-European, but what does that mean? It's sugeested that a race of white people from the Caucus Mountains area (hence Caucasians) expanded out and reached the Indus Valley where they formed the Vedic culture. They then brought back that language to Europe.

The Celtic language was borne from Proto-Indo-European in 2 forms P-Celtic and Q-Celtic, as was Old English which was brought to the UK by Germanic tribes (Angles, Saxons and Jutes). As the Kings of England spoke English that language became widespread although probably intermingled with Celtic. The Viking incursions into Britain added many other words to our vocabulary, as did the Norman invasion. You'd be surprised at how many English words have a French origin. The final contributor was Latin, writers like Shakespeare and Marlowe found the English language prohibitive in scope so introduced many Latin words into their writing, which we still use to this day.

So modern English is really a hotch-potch of languages, but all from a common ancestor: Proto-Indo-European! The odd thing is, that English is changing. There are so many regional accents in England, that the traditional well-spoken English is becoming a rarity, with slang words continually polluting the word pool. Strangely enough, the best spoken English in the UK is in Inverness, up here in the North of Scotland, and Doric (the dialect I grew up with) is considered to be the closest thing to Old English still in existence. We use words like "nicht" and "brither", which are pronounced pretty much the same way as the Anglo-Saxons said them, betraying their Germanic origins. It's a funny old thing, language!