If you ask people to name the one person who had the greatest effect on the English language, you will get answers like “Shakespeare”, “Samuel Johnson” and “Webster”, but none of these men had any effect at all compared to a man who didn’t even speak English—William the Conquer.

Before 1066, in the land we now call Great Britain lived people belonging to two major language groups. In the west-central region lived the Welsh, who spoke a Celtic language, and in the north lived the Scots, whose language, though not the same as Welsh, was also Celtic. In the rest of the country lived the Saxons, actually a mixture of Anglos, Saxons, and Germanic and Nordic peoples, who spoke what we now call Anglo-Saxon(of Old English), a Germanic language. If this state of affairs had lasted, English today would be close to German.

But this state of affairs did not last. In 1066 the Normans led by William defeated the Saxons and began their rule over England. For about a century, French became the official language of England while Old English became the language of peasants. As a result, English words of politics and the law come from French rather than German. In some cases, modern English even shows a distinction(区别) between upper-class French and lower-class Anglo-Saxon in its words. We even have different words for some foods, meat in particular, depending on whether it is still out in the fields or at home ready to be cooked, which shows the fact that the Saxon peasants were doing the farming-while the upper-class Normans were doing most of the eating.

When Americans visit Europe for the first time, they usually find German more “foreign” than French because the German they use on signs and advertisements seems much more different from English than French does. Few realize that the English language is actually Germanic in its beginning and that the French influences are all the result of one man’s ambition.

Many are fortunate enough to travel and see different cultures. For those who have not yet seen other cultures, here are five things you can learn from other cultures.

New language

Although learning a new language has become simpler through apps or programs, nothing compares to learning a language in the place where it is spoken. 【小题1】 Communications with others in another country is also important.

Knowledge

You can read books and even eat food from other countries. But those experience will never compare to the knowledge gained by being in another country.【小题2】 If you are unable to travel, pay attention to cultural events that allow you to increase your knowledge.

Unique (独特的) traditions

【小题3】 A tradition in Mexico is Day of the Dead. The people of Mexico believe that each year, the souls of the dead return to visit their loved ones and celebrate just as they did when they were alive.

【小题4】

It can be hard to imagine what life would be like if we didn’t have the things we take for granted (认为理所当然) every day, such as reliable transportation, clean water, education and a home to live. Therefore, we should value what we have and that we are able to work to provide for ourselves.

We’re not so different after all.

If you have traveled to another country, the experience is probably completely new. But no matter how much our lifestyles may differ, we are all working toward similar goals in   life. 【小题5】 Next time you travel to a new country, discover not only the differences, but also the similarities.

Moving to a foreign country is an amazing, life-changing experience. It’s an opportunity to meet new people, make yourself completely involved in a different culture and possibly learn another language. However, before embarking on such an adventure, there are some practical decisions that need to be made. One such decision is choosing where to live.

For me, choosing to live with a French family was the best choice I made, and here are the reasons.

Firstly, a family can show you around the city or town and help you settle in, stopping you from feeling lonely. When you’re in new surroundings with people you don’t know and who are speaking a language you’re still not fluent in, you might feel lost, tired and homesick—I know I did. However, my host family are wonderful and welcoming; they showed me which buses to take to get to work, cooked dinner for me, and took me with them on trips to the beach, the theatre and even a bullring. These were great opportunities to experience French culture and build relationships, which in turn helped me feel at home and welcome.

Moreover, living with French people has been beneficial to helping me improve my language skills. Being constantly exposed to authentic French conversation has allowed me to learn new phrases, widen my vocabulary and even improve my accent. My host family are happy to answer my questions and correct me when I say things wrong, which makes me a better and more confident French speaker.

Finally, the experience of living abroad is one that you will remember forever, and perhaps the friendships—like the memories—will also last. Your host family might become your friends for life. You might return for their birthdays, weddings, holidays, and many more things. I sincerely hope to remain in contact with my host family long after I leave France because when I was away from my friends and loved ones, they welcomed me and made me part of their family.