International English Language Day 2023: Date, History, Facts, Activities

Every year, April 23 marks International English Language Day. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness of the history of the language and to improve the proficiency of its speakers worldwide. The United Nations devised this holiday to promote cultural diversity and multilingualism in addition to Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish. Different organisations around the globe host a variety of activities, including book reading, film viewing, and quizzes, to mark this day. This day aims to educate people of all ages about the elegance, complexity, and universality of the language, whether they are students or adults.

The background of International English Language Day

Three Germanic nations invaded Britain in the fifth century A.D., marking the beginning of the English language’s development. From what is now Denmark and northern Germany, the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes crossed the North Sea. Prior to their advent, the majority of Britons spoke Celtic. They were driven aside by the invaders and forced to migrate west and north, to what is now Wales, Ireland, and Scotland.

From 450 A.D. to 1100 A.D., Germanic communities created Old English, the ancestor of modern English. 1100 A.D. witnessed the extinction of Old English. William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, invaded England, thereby initiating the linguistic division of the country. Later, the lower class spoke English and the elite class French. This division eventually resulted in a linguistic melting pot known as Middle English, to which French terms were added to Old English, and which became the dominant language of Britain in the 14th century.

Beginning in the 16th century, the English language underwent a distinct change in pronunciation, which led to the emergence of Modern English. This change is referred to as the “Great Vowel Shift,” in which vowels in the English language became increasingly shortened. This period marked the beginning of the printing of texts and books, which led to the standardisation of modern English in Britain. The first dictionary of the English language appeared in 1604.

The vocabulary is the primary distinction between modern English and Modern English from the 16th century. The Industrial Revolution and the British Empire’s global reach both contributed to this. The Industrial Revolution necessitated a greater usage of language. On the other hand, this was also the height of the British Empire’s colony, which encompassed one-fourth of the world’s territories, forcing them to embrace foreign words.

Every year, April 23 marks International English Language Day. The purpose of this day is to raise awareness of the history of the language and to improve the proficiency of its speakers worldwide. The United Nations devised this holiday to promote cultural diversity and multilingualism in addition to Arabic, Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish. Different organisations around the globe host a variety of activities, including book reading, film viewing, and quizzes, to mark this day. This day aims to educate people of all ages about the elegance, complexity, and universality of the language, whether they are students or adults.

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INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAY ACTIVITIES

With your peers, organise a book club.

There is no better way to celebrate International English Language Day than by gathering your favourite book and hosting a book club. It’s a fantastic way to bond with friends while discussing your favourite books and recommending future reads.

Attend online English courses

If English is not your native tongue, then online language instruction is for you. You can choose from a variety of English classes that are designed either for novices or for advanced students.

Shakespearean experience

The 23rd of April is both International Day of the English Language and Talk Like Shakespeare Day. Spend the day watching your favourite Shakespeare films or reading his renowned works.

5 Interesting Facts Regarding the English Language

952 million individuals worldwide speak English as their native tongue, while 603 million speak it as a second language.

The longest English word is ‘pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis,’ which is the medical term for a lung disease induced by the inhalation of fine silica dust.

I am the shortest sentence in the English language.

The shortest and oldest English word, according to historians and mediaeval archives, is ‘I’.

In 1755, the first English dictionary was compiled by Samuel Johnson, an English author.

INTERNATIONAL ENGLISH LANGUAGE DAY DATES