16 Questions
What is the most widely learned second language in the world?
English
In how many sovereign states is English either the official language or one of the official languages?
59
What percentage of total speakers does English account for in the Germanic language branch?
70%
Which language is the third-most spoken native language in the world?
English
Which organization has English as a co-official language?
European Union
Where did the speakers called Anglophones originate?
Great Britain
What language group does English belong to?
Indo-European
From which language did Late Old English borrow some grammar and core vocabulary?
Old Norse
What percentage of Modern English vocabulary is borrowed from French dialects?
28%
Which language is most closely related to English?
Frisian
What influenced the development of English in the British Isles, isolating it from the continental Germanic languages?
Invasions by Old Norse and Norman French
What theory suggests that English can be considered a mixed language or a creole?
The Middle English creole hypothesis
Which language group does Dutch belong to?
West Germanic
What did Old English evolve into?
Middle English
Which language is not mutually intelligible with English?
Dutch
What influenced the development of English in the British Isles?
Invasions of the British Isles by other peoples and languages, particularly Old Norse and Norman French.
Test your knowledge about the origins, spread, and influence of the English language, which originated in early medieval England. Explore its status as the most spoken language globally and its widespread use as a second language.
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