The English Project, launched the world’s first English Language Day in 2009 to mark the occasion on which English was spoken in Parliament for the first time and to raise awareness of the estimated 7,000 varieties of English which are used in 100 countries worldwide.
This first Parliamentary speech in English, rather than in French, was made on 13th October 1362. In the same Parliament, a Statute of Pleading was approved that also permitted debate and law-making in English.
The creation of English Language day was welcomed by our supporters: Philip Pullman said: “Every speaker of English has the right to bring new words or expressions into being, or give new meanings to old ones. I hope The English Project will help many people to realise what a treasure we have in our language.”
Susie Dent added: “Our language has never been richer, stronger, or more diverse. There can be no better time to celebrate its vitality; the English Project is giving us the chance to do just that.”
Our Patron, Professor David Crystal noted: “I think language days are important, as they keep the subject in front of people’s minds. It’s a pity that so few people are aware of the two we already have: 26 September, European Day of Languages, and 21 February, World Mother-Tongue Day. If I were in charge, I would give every language its special day. Maybe English Language Day will start a trend.”
Through a variety of events, educational programs, and resources, The English Project seeks to highlight the dynamic evolution, diversity, and richness of English. This particular observance is an opportunity for language enthusiasts, scholars, and the general public to explore the nuances of English and its impact on global communication, literature, and cultural identity.
Every year The English Project chooses an annual theme which usually reflects a national event or an anniversary and we use this as a catalyst for a series of events, studies, lectures, blogs, campaigns or even the publication of a book. So, for example, in 2014 we recognised the 100th anniversary of the outbreak of World War I with a theme of ‘The Language of War’ and the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death in 2016 was our inspiration for an examination of the languages which influenced the bard’s works.
Over the years, our events have involved considerable public participation and we always seek to involve people of all ages, trying where we can, to produce educational material for use in schools too. Some of our events are held in and around Winchester, UK, where we are based, and sometimes we have used our website as a vehicle for gathering contributions on a national scale. One of these was our Location Lingo campaign where we collected people’s nicknames for local places and explored how these reflected their feelings about the place where they live. On this project with worked with Ordnance Survey and contributed to their wider study of vernacular geography.
Through a variety of events, educational programs, and resources, The English Project seeks to highlight the dynamic evolution, diversity, and richness of English. This particular observance is an opportunity for language enthusiasts, scholars, and the general public to explore the nuances of English and its impact on global communication, literature, and cultural identity.
English Language Day 2011 The Language of Sport The English Project’s annual programme of events celebrating the English Language. In honour of the London Olympics, we chose the Language of
Our Theme in 2010: Language of Place and Community Language of Place and Community In 2010 we were awarded grants from Heritage Lottery Fund and Hampshire County Council for a
English Language Day 2009 The English Project Launches World’s First Ever English Language Day The English Project launches world’s first ever English Language Day on October 13th, a landmark day
The English Project, launched the world’s first English Language Day in 2009 to mark the first occasion on which English was used in Parliament and to raise awareness of the estimated 7,000 varieties of English spoken in 100 countries worldwide.
This first Parliamentary speech in English, rather than in French, was made on 13th October 1362. In the same Parliament, a Statute of Pleading was approved that also permitted debate and law-making in English.
