Page 1: History of the English Language
1. Origins of Old English (450-1100) The English language originated from Germanic languages. After
the Roman withdrawal from Britain in the 5th century, Anglo-Saxon tribes (Angles, Saxons, and Jutes)
invaded the island, bringing their Germanic dialects. - Main languages: Old English became the
dominant language, with minimal Latin influence introduced during Roman occupation. -
Characteristics: Complex grammar and a limited vocabulary compared to modern English. Example
text: "Fæder ■re þ■ þe eart on heofonum".
2. Middle English (1100-1500) The Norman invasion in 1066 deeply transformed the English language:
- French influence: Over 60% of modern English vocabulary has Latin or French origins. - Linguistic
changes: Old English grammar simplified, with a gradual loss of case endings. - Notable example: The
Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer.
3. Early Modern English (1500-1700) This period was marked by the English Renaissance and the
printing press: - Rise of Standard English: Standard pronunciation and the introduction of Greek and
Latin words. - Shakespeare: Enriched the language with new words and phrases. - Notable example:
The King James Bible translation (1611).
4. Modern English (1700-Present) - Global expansion: The British Empire's influence spread English
worldwide. - Cultural impact: English adopted vocabulary from various languages through trade,
colonization, and technology. - Current example: American and British English are the two main
variants.
Page 2: The English Language Today
1. Global Importance - International use: English is the most widely used language in business,
technology, science, and entertainment. - Speakers: Over 1.5 billion, with only 400 million being native
speakers.
2. Dialects and Variations - British English: Retains spellings like "colour" and "theatre". - American
English: Changes in spelling ("color", "theater") and expressions. - Other dialects: Australian,
Canadian, South African, etc. - Local peculiarities: Vocabulary like "biscuit" (British) vs. "cookie"
(American).
3. Technology and Linguistic Evolution - Recent words: Terms like "selfie", "hashtag", and
"cryptocurrency". - Impact of social media: Creation of abbreviations (e.g., "LOL, BRB").
4. Challenges and the Future - Competition with other languages: Although dominant, languages like
Mandarin Chinese and Spanish are growing. - Impact of AI: Tools like translators are making language
learning easier.
Page 3: Word Classification in English and Spanish
1. Nouns - Represent people, places, things, or ideas. - Examples: - English: "dog, car, freedom". -
Spanish: "perro, coche, libertad".
2. Pronouns - Replace nouns to avoid repetition. - Examples: - English: "he, she, it". - Spanish: "él, ella,
ello".
3. Adjectives - Describe nouns. - Examples: - English: "beautiful, red". - Spanish: "hermoso, rojo".
4. Verbs - Express actions or states. - Examples: - English: "run, jump, be". - Spanish: "correr, saltar,
ser".
5. Adverbs - Modify verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs. - Examples: - English: "quickly, very". -
Spanish: "rápidamente, muy".
6. Prepositions - Show relationships between words. - Examples: - English: "on, in, under". - Spanish:
"en, sobre, bajo".
7. Conjunctions - Connect words or phrases. - Examples: - English: "and, but, because". - Spanish: "y,
pero, porque".
8. Interjections - Express emotions. - Examples: - English: "Wow!, Oh no!". - Spanish: "¡Guau!, ¡Oh
no!".
9. Articles - Define nouns. - Examples: - English: "the, a, an". - Spanish: "el, la, un".
Page 4: Research on Present Progressive
1. Definition and Structure - The present progressive describes actions happening right now. - Formula:
- English: Subject + verb "to be" + verb in -ing. - Spanish: Subject + verb "estar" + gerund.
2. Examples - English: - "She is eating now." - "We are studying at the library." - Spanish: - "Ella está
comiendo ahora." - "Nosotros estamos estudiando en la biblioteca."
3. Main Uses 1. Ongoing actions: "I am reading a book." ("Estoy leyendo un libro.") 2. Temporary
events: "They are living in Madrid for a month." ("Ellos están viviendo en Madrid por un mes.") 3.
Changes and trends: "The climate is getting warmer." ("El clima se está calentando.")
4. Keywords - English: "now, at the moment, currently". - Spanish: "ahora, en este momento,
actualmente".
5. Common Mistakes - Mixing tenses: "I am go to the store" (Incorrect). - Incorrect use of gerund in
Spanish: "Voy comiendo" (should be "Estoy comiendo").
