25 maps that explain the English language English is the language of Shakespeare and the language of Chaucer. It’s spoken in dozens of countries around the world, from the United States to a tiny island named Tristan da Cunha. It reflects the influences of centuries of international exchange, including conquest and colonization, from the Vikings through the 21st century. Here are 25 maps and charts that explain how English got started and evolved into the differently accented languages spoken today. The origins of English 1) Where English comes from English, like more than 400 other languages, is part of the Indo-European language family, sharing common roots not just with German and French but with Russian, Hindi, Punjabi, and Persian. 2) Where Indo-European languages are spoken in Europe today Saying that English is Indo-European, though, doesn’t really narrow it down much. 3) The Anglo-Saxon migration 4) The Danelaw The next source of English was Old Norse. 5)The Norman Conquest 6) The Great Vowel Shift The spread of English Credits
British Accents and Dialects Wikimedia The United Kingdom is perhaps the most dialect-obsessed country in the world. With near-countless regional Englishes shaped by millennia of history, few nations boast as many varieties of language in such a compact geography. (NOTE: This page uses the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). For information about this notation, please visit my page of IPA Resources.) The below lists several important types of British English. Received Pronunciation Received Pronunciation (a term by 19th Century linguist A.J. Features: Non-rhoticity, meaning the r at the ends of words isn’t prounounced (mother sounds like “muhthuh”).Trap-bath split, meaning that certain a words, like bath, can’t, and dance are pronounced with the broad-a in father. Speech Samples: Cockney Cockney is probably the second most famous British accent. Estuary English (Southeast British) Estuary is an accent derived from London English which has achieved a status slightly similar to “General American” in the US. Geordie 1.
Listen to English around the World. Click on any of the flags below to hear accents from some of the main English-speaking countries. Hear more English accents. One of the best ways of improving your English is to listen to radio news and discussion in English on your computer. Using the links below you can get instant access to English language radio news programmes wherever you are in the world, without a radio. Perfect for listening practice and improving your listening skills. You might also want to visit our Listening Comprehension Exercises page. Listen to the Bible in MP3 format Listen to film soundclips