In the 5th century AD, a group of people known as the Anglo-Saxons arrived in southern England where they flourished. With them they brought their own language and none of these original settlers would have known that their unique language would conquer the whole world. The Middle Ages saw this tongue being used in other parts of the British Isles, including some parts of Scotland, even though it was diluted with other local dialects. The Celts had their own language and there is evidence that both languages were in use and conflicts were common; settlers in the north fought with the emerging southerners and Latin was also in use, brought by the Romans.
Norman Conquest
In 1066, William the Conqueror defeated the Saxon King and he brought with him Anglo Normal French, which replaced Old English as the official spoken language. This period is regarded as the end of the Old English era, when Anglo Norman mixed with English to form Middle English and French aristocracy arrived, and their language also blended with Middle English.
Late 15th Century
Middle English began to be phased out at the end of the 15th century to be replaced by Early Modern English, which included Latin and Greek influence. This was the language of William Shakespeare, when European languages such as Dutch, French and German influenced the evolution of Modern Early English.
The International Language
The main reason that English spread around the world was the formation of the British Empire, where foreign lands were forced to adopt their conqueror’s religion, language and to some degree, their culture. Fast forward to today and many young people are looking to take the best TEFL course Thailand as well as any other country could offer, as the language provides an opportunity for them to take on jobs that enable them to fund their travels. One such job is teaching English in a Thai school. The TEFL academy guarantees work placement when you become qualified, which means you can gain an insight into Thai culture by working at a local school.
Regional Differences
While the British Commonwealth saw the establishment of English in many parts of the world, each country morphed the language to make it unique; hence today we have US, Australian, New Zealand and UK English, with specific spelling differences. There are parts of the world, such as Asia and South America, where young generations have a need to learn English; native English-speaking TEFL teachers are always sought-after.
Teaching English As A Foreign Language (TEFL)
If you would like to gain TEFL certification, why not book a course at the TEFL academy? Spend one year teaching at a Thai school, for example, then you have the money to explore South East Asia and you have the qualification to teach English anywhere in the world. English is the language of international business and that doesn’t look like changing; if you would like to become a certified English language teacher, search online for a TEFL academy in Chiang Mai and book your place on the next course and be prepared for an amazing experience.