English OCR

English Language

English is a language with two names: "English" and "British". It is spoken today by about 380 million people in many countries around the world. English is one of the official languages of the United Nations, the European Union, UNESCO, NATO, World Health Organization and many other international organisations. The present-day form of English developed from the dialects of northern Germany during the Middle Ages. The first written standard was created in 1386 by Geoffrey Chaucer. Although it has changed over time, it has retained many characteristics of Anglo-Saxon English and to some extent Norman French. English has spread around the world through colonization, trade and tourism. Substantial communities of native speakers are found in South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Canada and the United States.