English evolved from Old English spoken by Anglo-Saxons in Britain beginning in the 5th century AD. It was influenced by Latin during Roman occupation, Old Norse with Viking invasions, and Old French following the Norman Conquest in 1066. During the Middle English period from 1150-1450, English absorbed large amounts of French and Latin vocabulary. The spread of the British Empire in the 18th-19th centuries established English as a global language, adopting words from other languages. Today, English continues to diversify with many regional varieties while maintaining its role as an international lingua franca.