Here's how it works:
* The Roots: English is primarily descended from Old English, which was brought to Britain by Germanic tribes (Angles, Saxons, and Jutes).
* The Norman Conquest: In 1066, William the Conqueror invaded England, bringing with him Norman French. This led to a massive influx of French vocabulary, especially in areas like government, law, and food.
* Latin Influence: Latin, the language of ancient Rome, has also contributed significantly. This influence comes through the Latin roots of many English words, as well as from the influence of Latin on French.
* Global Expansion: As the British Empire expanded, English picked up words from its colonies all over the world. This includes words from languages like Hindi, Urdu, Arabic, and Malay.
So, while English has its own unique structure and grammar, it's a beautiful blend of many different languages!