The Mother Tongue: English and How It Got That Way

Let me take you on a gentle journey, a story that starts in the bustling airports of the world, where pilots and air traffic controllers, regardless of origin, use a single language to ensure every flight is safe: English. This language, once spoken by a few tribes on a rainy island, is today the thread that weaves together the voices of billions. Imagine walking through the streets of Brussels, where posters and billboards are more likely to be in English than in the country’s own official languages. Or picture a scientist in Brazil, an engineer in Japan, and a student in Egypt—all reading, writing, and dreaming in English as they push the boundaries of knowledge and ambition.

English’s global adventure is not just a tale of empire or colonization, but a story of adaptability and openness. In India, there are over 3,000 newspapers published in English, more than in the United Kingdom itself. In China, more people are learning English than the entire population of the United States. It is the language of business deals in Zurich, software development in Bangalore, and pop songs in Tokyo. For the airlines of 157 nations, English is the agreed international language, a rule that keeps the skies safe and the world connected.

But why did English, among thousands of languages, become this universal passport? Partly, it’s because English is easy to pick up at a basic level and endlessly adaptable. It’s the language of Hollywood, of the Beatles, of the Internet, and of the world’s most influential scientific journals. In France, the Pasteur Institute publishes its famed medical review only in English, recognizing that to reach the world, one must speak its language. Even fiercely proud nations like Japan, Germany, or Italy have adopted English for critical business and international affairs.

English’s journey is also a story of humor and humility. In a Yugoslavian hotel, a sign once read, 'The flattening of underwear with pleasure is the job of the chambermaid.' In Tokyo, a road sign advised, 'When a passenger of the foot heave in sight, tootle the horn. Trumpet at him melodiously at first, but if he still obstacles your passage, then tootle him with vigor.' These charming mistakes remind us that English, for all its global power, is still a living, breathing, and sometimes bewildering thing.

This is just the beginning of our journey. Next, we’ll travel back in time to discover how language itself—this miraculous tool—came to be, and why English’s roots run deeper than most people imagine.