Every language regardless of its origin serves as a medium of communication among people. The English language is no exception. With a history as old, vibrant, and equally intense as the history of the Earth, it is no wonder many of its inhabitants know how to speak English. However, like the Earth which is forever evolving the English language continues to change gradually, and I believe it won’t be the same language spoken today many years in the future.
The earliest history of English can be traced back to Briain in 5th century AD, and as the years passed the language has evolved. Due to factors such as invasions and migration of different groups of people, the English language spread like a virus everywhere these people went. As a result, new vocabulary and pronunciation emerged altering the language. However, these movements were haphazard enough so much that the same group of people didn’t stay in the same place long enough to stabilize the English language, and conform to some form of standard. Hence the language continued to evolve, and this trend would go on until the invention of groundbreaking technology.
The first printing press came around in about 1440, and this would impact the way the English language developed. The first books were printed, and people had to read the same text. This resulted in some form of standardization in English, and the birth of spelling and grammar. Also, people began to learn to read and write, cementing the dialect of London as the standard. This went on for a while, but as people continued to migrate, conflict and wars raging, the language was influenced through different cultures, backgrounds, and dialects.
Today the English language is not the same as it was back then, and I believe it will continue to change. Firstly, the need for lesser words has resulted in the language changing from the times of Shakespear to the modern day. People have realized that less is more, and it achieves the same objective effectively. Secondly, in a world where people from different cultures interact more than ever because of sophisticated technology, new vocabulary keeps being introduced. Also, besides fewer words, people are tending to use simpler words and short phrases. Other factors will lead to the continuous change in English like the advancement of technology which requires the discovery of new words to name new inventions, geopolitical conflicts which displaces people to new places where they learn new words, and the general tendency of people to be easily influenced by others which results in the English language continuing to take from other languages.
In a nutshell, I believe the English language is changing today, and it will continue to evolve because it takes from other languages. Since language was used to discriminate against people in the time of William the conqueror, Duke of Normandy, the modern people will feel pressured to conform to what their peers are speaking resulting in a forever evolving language. The need for simpler words, shorter phrases, and new vocabulary will always be a constant in the English language as people try to make it as simple as possible to communicate.
English, ENGL111 Modules: History of. https://loc.instructure.com/courses/2191/pages/history-of-english-language?module_item_id=51067. n.d. Document. 12 November 2023.