# PTE SST #11: The Diverse Origins of the English...

Summarize Spoken Text #11 - Level 2 - Feeds Writing + Listening

> You will hear a short lecture. Write a summary on what you have just heard from the lecture in your own words.You have 10 minutes to finish this task. Your response will be judged on the Quality of Your writing and on how well your response presents the key points presented in the lecture.

## Answer

The speaker explains that English is not a pure language but a mixture of over 350 languages. This linguistic diversity reflects the history of English-speaking people. While once criticized especially during Shakespeare's era for adopting foreign words, today this blend is appreciated. Understanding English's development offers insights into cultural exchange and evolution, showing how language and history are deeply intertwined.

## Explanation

The lecture explains that English is not a pure language but rather a mongrel, having borrowed words from over 350 different languages throughout its history. This linguistic evolution is closely tied to the history of the English people, and attitudes toward these loanwords have shifted over time, with some historical figures expressing disapproval of non-native vocabulary.

## Hints

- Focus on the speaker's main point about the nature of the English language.
- Note the speaker's comparison of English to a 'mongrel dog' and what that implies about its vocabulary.
- Consider the connection the speaker makes between the history of the language and the history of the people.

## Transcript

English, as you have already read, is not a pure language. I don't think there really are any pure languages in the world. But English is definitely not a pure language. English, in fact, has borrowed from over 350 languages in its history. So it's a variety of many languages. Some people say it's like a dog, a mongrel dog, a dog that has been made up of many different dogs. The English language is like that. By looking at the history of the English language we learn about the history of the English people. The two things are closely connected. So, in fact, today we are not only learning about language but we are learning about history. The fact that English has borrowed words from over 350 languages has been viewed differently throughout history. So for example in Shakespeare's time people were very angry about words which were not, they thought, original English words - words which came from other languages, they didn't like them.

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