English as a language was widely taught and learnt as a result of globalization and technological innovation. That language has been influenced by several dialects for a long time, including French and German.
English Language Development in Chronological Order
The notion that the current English language is the result of hundreds of years of political development and gatherings that shaped English history and therefore altered the English language has been highlighted by Baugh et al. (2002).
Old English, Middle English, Early Modern English, and Present-Day English are the four developmental eras that make up the history of the English language. The time between 450 and 1100 AD corresponds to Early English, the time between 1100 and 1500 to Middle English, the time between 1500 and 1800 to Early Modern English, and the time after 1800 to Present-Day English.
In 597 AD, the Roman confederation of Britain reached England, where Latin progressed and added a few words to the vernacular. Despite the Norman Conquest, the Scandinavian incursions had an influence, and over time, the lexicon and structure of English altered from what it had been in 1066.
Accordingly, the Hundred Years’ War, the Renaissance, the expansion of the British Empire, the enhancement of England as an oceanic power, and the growth of commerce, industry, science, and literature have all contributed to the development of the English language. The political and social history of the English language includes not just the background of the British Isles and of North America, but also the background of certain social orders that have influenced linguistic evolution.
Old English vocabulary phrases have mostly been lost, and new terms have been created in their place. Shakespeare’s language demonstrates how some words have changed in meaning through time. For example, in Shakespeare’s day, the term “nice” meant “dumb,” while the phrase “ailment” meant “head cold.”
According to Richards and Rodgers (1986), Latin predominated in the western world for five hundred years before English became the dominant language for education, commerce, religion, and government.
How Important English Is?
Since language is more than just a means of expression, it allows people to form relationships and acquire the skills necessary to interact in a variety of social contexts depending on sociolinguistic conditions. It is widely believed that English is becoming a more widely used language. One of the most important languages in the world is English.
It is spoken by more over 380 million people in the United Kingdom, the United States, and the former British Empire, according to Baugh (2002). The largest Western dialect is this one. Many people are aware of how highly esteemed the English language is nowadays. As a result, there are more and more requests to study it every day.
That language is prevalent and important for a variety of reasons; some people see it as their window to the outside world since they can communicate with individuals from many different countries using it because it is widely spoken.
Others believe they can read literature from other countries and do continuing research into those topics via that language, which speaks to them as a source of knowledge. It is widely believed that the English language is developing into a potent means of communication, participation in international commercial activities, and gathering information about events all over the world. Mckay (1992) demonstrates in her book “Showing English Overseas” that the motivation for universal English is the notion that a particular proficiency in the language may result in social and financial gains.
Algeria’s English-speaking population
One must first understand the sociolinguistic context of Algeria in order to understand various concerns relating to the English language there. Learning about English, its standing, and when and how it is used is encouraged by seeing how society operates in terms of dialects.
The researcher looks at how and at what level English is taught in Algeria since the thesis is concerned with portraying English as an unheard-of tongue. Some sociolinguists may have questions about the sociolinguistic situation in Algeria. Why? Given that the Algerian culture uses a variety of dialects.