English

The story of English's evolution is complex, with roots extending back to the pre-Roman period, where the original inhabitants of the British Isles spoke Celtic languages.

With the arrival of the Romans in the first century AD, Latin became the language of administration, trade, and education in Britain. The influence of Latin on the British Isles was significant and lasted for centuries, with Latin words continuing to be used in English even today.

The influence of Celtic languages, however, did not disappear with the arrival of the Romans. In fact, many words in English have Celtic roots, such as "crag," "bog," and "loch," to name a few. These words have been a part of English's evolution since the beginning and continue to shape the language today.

Politics and the English Language

by George Orwell

Most people who bother with the matter at all would admit that the English language is in a bad way, but it is generally assumed that we cannot by conscious action do anything about it. Our civilization is decadent and our language — so the argument runs — must inevitably share in the general collapse. It follows that any struggle against the abuse of language is a sentimental archaism, like preferring candles to electric light or hansom cabs to aeroplanes. Underneath this lies the half-conscious belief that language is a natural growth and not an instrument which we shape for our own purposes.