Today's dialects of modern English represent a relatively short, though very interesting, linguistic heritage. From early tribal stages, English has evolved into the primary standard of global communication.
Characteristics of the "tribal language" of "primitive" peoples:
- a homogeneous mother tongue; their ethnic dialect or local accent can function as badge of identification
- knowledge of neighboring peoples' languages; common multilingualism in regional languages
- limited topics of discourse with other peoples; for example, simple trading
- an ability to learn to communicate with newly encountered primitive peoples
Historically, most languages had a tribal stage. English is no exception. In fact, English was born in southeastern England as the result of the contact, mixing, and development of various tribal languages. For example, we can identify the following broad stages in the history of the language spoken in the area around present-day London:
- pre-Indo-European language
- Celtic language
- Latin language
- Germanic language
Even after the birth of Old English (which was more similar to German than is Modern English), the language continued to evolve. It's evolution was influenced by invaders who spoke:
English colonization of Scotland, Ireland, and Wales affected the English language spoken in those areas due to intensified contact with:
The Elizabethan era began the great spread of English overseas. In NorthAmerica, the different patterns of contact with other languages resulted in the different dialects of English currently spoken in the U.S. and Canada today. For example, the English spoken in Philadelphia and other parts of the American midlands was influenced by contact with speakers of:
Similarly, new regional dialects of English, as well as English-based creoles, developed in Africa, India, and Oceania.