* Anglo-Saxons (5th Century AD): The foundation of English comes from the Germanic tribes (Angles, Saxons, and Jutes) who settled in Britain, bringing their language. This is known as Old English, which sounds very different from modern English.
* Vikings (8th-11th Centuries AD): Viking raids and settlements introduced Norse words and influenced grammar.
* Norman Conquest (1066 AD): The Norman invasion brought French-speaking rulers and nobility, leading to a massive influx of French vocabulary and grammatical structures.
* Middle English (12th-15th Centuries AD): A blend of Old English and Norman-French, laying the groundwork for modern English.
* Renaissance (15th-17th Centuries AD): This period saw a revival of classical learning, leading to more Latin and Greek words being incorporated into English.
* Modern English (18th Century onward): Continued evolution, standardization, and the spread of English through colonization and globalization.
So, English is a product of countless individuals and cultures over centuries, not a single inventor. It's a living language that continues to evolve and adapt even today.