English was a marginal dialect in the late ninth century, spoken by just a couple of hundred thousand. So how did it become the most common language in the world, spoken by 1.6 billion people today? Sir Rupert Gavin charts the evolution of English, and argues that it is ideal as the global language, not just by accident of history, but by fundamental construction and constitution.
Gavin has been a central figure in the UK’s cultural, historical, media and business worlds for the last 40 years. He has held senior roles at companies including British Telecom, Odeon Cinemas and Historic Royal Palaces. He is currently chairman of the English National Ballet, and the cinema chain The Living Room Cinema, and has produced or co-produced over 200 theatre shows.
