English is a West Germanic language that is now a global lingua franca. It was first spoken in early medieval England. Named after the Angles, one of the Germanic tribes that migrated to England, it ultimately derives its name from the Anglia (Angeln) peninsula in the Baltic Sea. Its vocabulary is primarily influenced by other Germanic and Romance languages, particularly by the French language.[6] English is either the official language or one of the official languages in almost 60 sovereign states. It is the most commonly spoken language in the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand, and is widely spoken in some areas of the Caribbean, Africa, and South Asia.[7] It is the third most common native language in the world, after Mandarin and Spanish.[8] It is the most widely learned second language and an official language of the United Nations, of the European Union, and of many other world and regional international organisations. It is the most widely spoken Germanic language, accounting for at least 70% of speakers of this Indo-European branch.
