英语国家概况的摘要.docVIP

About the full name of the nation the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland About the composition and location of the nation Great Britain (the formerly separate England and Scotland, and Wales. ) Northern Ireland Numerous smaller islands About the people of the nation, esp. the earliest known inhabitants Overall population: over 60 millions Distribution: England: about 50 million Scotland:over 5 million Wales: around 3 million Northern Ireland: about 1.7million The majority of this population are descendents of the Anglo-Saxons (盎格鲁-撒克逊人) Most people in Wales and Scotland are descendents of the Celtic people (凯尔特人) The Irish people were also Celtic in origin immigrants 4. About the River Thames The longest river: Severn River (354 kilometers long) The second longest river: Thames (332 kilometers long) The largest Lake: Lough Neagh 5 About the historic sites and scenic spots in London the capital of England and of Great Britain the political center of the Commonwealth a major port one of the worlds leading banking and financial centers. About the Queen and government 1. Old English Language of Angle-Saxons Influenced by :Old Norse Danish words Latin and Greek words (Christianity) k ended with the Norman Conquest The most famous work from the Old English period is the epic poem ”Beowulf” Middle English French replaced English as the official language, and English became the Language of lower class English increased in importance after the Black Death The Canterbury Tales written by Geofery Chaucer, 14th century Modern English The printing press—brought standardization of English Samuel Johnson’s dictionary—established a standard form of spelling Renaissance—assimilated foreign words throughout the Renaissance The Industrial Revolution—necessitated the introduction of new words for new things and ideas The rise of the British Empire or the Commonwealth of Nations—led to the assimilation