The English language

English is an important global language, but that doesn’t mean it's easy to learn. Many experts have tried to make English easier for students to learn - but they weren't always successful. In 1930, Professor CK Ogden of Cambridge University invented Basic English. It had only 850 words (and just eighteen verbs) and Ogden said most people could learn it in just thirty hours. The problem was that people who learned Basic English could write and say simple messages, but they couldn't understand the answers in 'real' English! It was also impossible to explain a word if it wasn't in the Basic English wordlist. RE Zachrisson, a university professor in Sweden, decided that the biggest problem for learners of English was spelling, so he invented a language called Anglie. Anglie was similar to English, but with much simpler spelling. 'Father' became 'faadher, 'new ‘became 'nue'. Unfortunately, for some students of English, Anglic never became popular. Even easier is the language which ships' captains use: it’s called 'Sea speak'. Sea speak uses a few simple phrases for every possible situation. In Sea speak, for example, you don't say, 'I'm sorry what did you say? 'Or 'I didn't understand, can you repeat that?' ... it's just, 'Say again.' No more grammar!