ABSTRACT
English is the primary language of both Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales) and Ireland (the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland). There are, of course, numerous other languages which are spoken by the citizens of these various countries, and some of these will be mentioned briefly below. Yet it is English which predominates. In fact, English is native to England and a major part of Scotland, from where it was transplanted to the other native English speaking areas in the British Isles and around the globe. It is perhaps because its origins are here that this variety, British English (BrE), is often regarded by English learners in many parts of the world as somehow the ‘best’ English. This is reason enough to examine English in the British Isles more closely and to try to find out more about its nature.
