The story of English

How English became a Germanic language with a French vocabulary, a Latin wardrobe, and a spelling system nobody designed.

English is a Germanic language that was invaded four times and kept something from every invasion. These three essays trace what each layer left behind — and why the result gives learners three words for one idea, a spelling system frozen in 1500, and two standard varieties that disagree about the letter R.

• PART 1 9 MIN Where English came from Five invasions, one language. Why English has three words for everything and a spelling system frozen in 1500.
• PART 2 7 MIN Doublets: the same word, arriving twice Cow and beef are the same word. So are disc, dish, desk, and dais. What happens when a word comes home by two roads.
• PART 3 9 MIN How American English broke away — and which half actually moved Received Pronunciation is younger than the United States. On most of the famous differences, it was Britain that changed.