Tag: English

English is a West Germanic language that was first spoken in early medieval England and eventually became a global lingua franca. It is named after the Angles, one of the Germanic tribes that migrated to the area of Great Britain that later took their name, as England.

Native speakers: 360–400 million (2006); L2 speakers: 400 million; as a foreign language: 600–700 million
Early forms: Old English: Middle English > Early Modern English.