The English language is spoken by more than a billion people throughout the world. But from where did English come? And how has it evolved into the language used today?  

In this Very Short Introduction, Simon Horobin investigates how we have arrived at the English we know today and celebrates the way new speakers and new uses mean that it continues to adapt. Engaging with contemporary concerns about correctness, Horobin considers whether such changes are improvements or evidence of slipping standards.

What is the future for the English language? Will standard English continue to hold sway, or are we witnessing its replacement by newly emerging Englishes?