In a Ted-Ed lesson, educator and linguist Claire Bowern explains the origins of the English language and how it has evolved throughout the centuries in a clever animation from Patrick Smith.
When we talk about ‘English’, we often think of it as a single language. But what do the dialects spoken in dozens of countries around the world have in common with each other, or with the writings of Chaucer? Claire Bowern traces the language from the present day back to its ancient roots, showing how English has evolved through generations of speakers.
