Топик: The History of English

It is estimated that at least 100 million people throughout the world use English fluently as a foreign language.

There are over 3.000 languages in the world. So why has English become so widely spoken?

Today the English language is almost the same all over the world. You can tell a person's nationality from their accent - Australian, Scottish, Canadian and so on. But the words are more or less international.

It's strange that the differences in Britain itself are greater than those between Britain and other English-speaking countries. For a Londoner, it's easy to understand an American, but quite difficult to understand the dialect of Newcastle in the North of England!

But not many people speak dialects in Britain these days. A hundred years ago (before radio and television) all ordinary working people did. In Emily Bronte's book Wuthering Heights the old man Joseph speaks Yorkshire dialect:

“Take these in tuh t'maister, lad. Un' bide theare. Aw's gang up tuh my awn rahm.” (Take these in to the master, boy. And stay there. I'm going up to my own room.)

Don't worry. Joseph doesn't say very much in the book - the rest is in normal English!

In a country like New Zealand, English is the first language. In fact it’s the only language for most people. About 100,000 Maoris have their own language, but they also speak English. Most of this book is about countries where English is the first language – Canada, Ireland, the USA and so on.

But in more than sixty other countries English is a second language. The government, business and universities use it. Some of the people, but not all, speak it well and use it for certain parts of their lives.

IV. Conclusion.

I enjoy learning English, it is really great' I like to learn new words, to look up in the dictionary their meanings. English grammar is difficult, but I try hard to understand it, to learn the rules, to put them into practice.

I think it is very interesting to read English books, newspapers, magazines. I came to know a lot of exciting facts and new things. It is like a new world where you can enter if you know the language.

English folklore is very rich. I believe, it is good to know English proverbs and tongue-twisters, English rhymes and limericks. English sayings and songs.

When you learn tongue-twisters, it helps you to improve your phonetics.

I know quite a number of them. Here is a good one:

Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper:

A peck of pickled pepper Peter Piper picked:

If Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper

Where's the peck of pickled pepper Peter Piper picked!

This one is my favorite:

A thatcher of Thatchwood went to Thatchet a-thatching

Did a thatcher of Thatchwood go to Thatchet a-thatching?

If a thatchcr of Thatchwood went to Thatchet a-thatching

Where's the thatching the thatcher of Thatchwood has thatched?

While writing my research paper report I had to read a lot of books on English History I came to know a lot of English folk songs, they are simple and nice. Some of them help me to learn words. Solomon Grundy is a folk song it helps you to remember the days of the week. It is a sad song/ but 1 the same it’s funny too.

Solomon Grundy

Born on Monday

Christened on Tuesday

Married on Wednesday

Ill on Thursday

Worse on Friday

Died on Saturday

Buried on Sunday

This is the end

Of poor old Solomon Grundy.

English proverbs are useful in many situations. Here are a few examples. When there's a will, there's a way. Or: All’s well that ends well. No sweet without sweat. Lend money and lose a friend. East or West, home is best.

English jokes are very funny. They often laugh at nationalities of the British Isles. Here is a typical one. “An Englishman, a Scotsman and an Irishman were alone on a desert island.” One day the Englishman found an old bottle. He broke it and out came a genie. The genie said: “I'll give you and your friends three wishes. But choose well, because you may have only one wish each” “My wish is quite simple”, - said the Englishman, - “I wish to be taken home”. “Your wish is my command”, - said the genie, and the Englishman disappeared. “Yes, I'd like the same”, - said the Scotsman. And in a minute he was at home as well. Then the genie turned to the Irishman. “And what about you? What's your wish?” The Irishman thought a little and then said: “I'm very lonely without my friends. I wish they were back here with me.”

English literature has very rich traditions. English poetry is well known in the world best Russian poets translated English poetry into Russian. But of course, when you study English it's a pleasure to learn English poems in the original. My favorite poem is “If by R. Kipling. I think, he gives very good advice for the young people in this poem.

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are loosing theirs and blaming it on you*