Quiz: Where did the English language come from?

Select the correct answer for each question and click on the button at the bottom of the page to see your score...

1. 'Old English' was the language of tribes who invaded Britain from the East. They spoke different dialects of a(n) American language Russian language Germanic language
2. The Vikings invaded Britain in 878 AD. Where did they come from? Scandinavia Scotland Italy
3. After the Battle of Hastings in 1066 what language was spoken by the Royal Court and the ruling class? Old English French Portuguese
*By about 1200, the Kingdoms of England and France were no longer one unit. Old English came back but had many French words added to it. This language was 'Middle English'...*
4. Middle English was used by the poet... Shakespeare Byron Chaucer
5. Who was the most famous writer to write in English during the 16th century? Shakespeare Keats Chaucer
6. What was the bestseller in England in 1611? Harry Potter War and Peace The King James Bible
*English has been influenced by many different languages and continues to change and develop...*
7. 'kangaroo' and 'boomerang' are: Native American words Australian Aboriginal words Chinese words
8. The words 'juggernaut' and 'turban' come from: Russia Morocco India
9. The word 'potato' comes from: Italy Canada Haiti
10. The word 'ketchup' comes from: America China Sweden
11. The word 'shampoo' comes from: Germany India Egypt
12. How many native speakers of English are there in the world? about 3 million about 300 million about 3 trillion