English Language: The Basics

This lively and engaging book traces English’s remarkable journey from a small, local language to the global resource it is today.

The book follows the story of English from its earliest origins, through its growth and expansion over the last 1,500 years, to the part it plays in twenty-first century society. Along the way, the book explores the language’s complex ties to cultural identity, literature and politics. It tracks its evolving relationship with technology – from the invention of th...