English language

English is an Indo-European language of the West Germanic family, originating in England but now spoken as an official language in 67 countries. It has risen to prominence as a global lingua franca, and is used heavily in international business and education, as well as tourism.

Origins
English originated through the migration of Germanic tribes to England in the fifth century C.E. This migration gave rise to Old English. Britain was invaded by Old Norse-speaking Vikings in the ninth century C.E., causing Old Norse to influence Old English heavily. After the Norman Conquest of 1066, many French and Romance influences began to settle into English, causing the creation of Middle English, a form of English which kept its Germanic influences but took much of its vocabulary and grammar from French, particularly in relation to nouns, verbs, adjectives and adverbs. After the Great Vowel Shift, Middle English began to transition into Modern English, the variety which is spoken today.