All of us who speak English are involved in its evolution. We shall begin by considering theories about the origins of language, then move on to the Indo-European languages before focusing on our own branch. Along the way we shall look at all the significant languages known to have been spoken in the British Isles, encompassing the Celtic group, Latin, Frisian, Anglo-Saxon, Old Norse and Norman French. The emphasis will be on evidence from geographical and place names, and from historical documents and literature, though some attention will be paid to linguistics. Infiltrations into modern English from other languages will be featured, as will variations of English. The class will be set oral and written tasks, and will be encouraged to participate in plenary sessions and in small groups. Finally we shall consider the international significance of English and the changes in the use of our language in our lifetimes. Note: put in history but cross ref with linguistics & literature.