
From the 18th century, the British Empire had spread English through its colonies around the world.
The Empire expanded from North America to include colonies in Africa, Asia and Australia.
English continued to accept words from other languages.
For example, words like shampoo and pajamas came from India, kangaroo and boomerang from the Aboriginal languages of Australia, and safari and gorilla from Africa.
At its height, it was the largest empire in history and became the leading global power.
By the early 20th century, the Empire held sway over 412 million people (23 percent of the world population).
Commerce, science, technology, and education all contributed to English becoming the global language.
At the peak of its power, the British Empire was described as “the empire on which the sun never sets.”