TED-ED: Where did English come from? - Claire Bowern

The video explores the evolution of the English language, tracing its roots from modern English back to Old English, Proto-Germanic, and ultimately Proto-Indo-European. It discusses the influence of various invasions and borrowings from languages like French, Latin, and Old Norse. Comparative linguistics helps trace these changes through sound shifts and vocabulary patterns. The video concludes with the vast impact of the Indo-European language family and the mysteries that remain about its origins.

Discuss the impact of the Norman invasion on the English vocabulary.

What is Proto-Indo-European and its significance in the study of languages?