English originated from Old English brought by Germanic settlers to Britain in the 5th century. It was influenced by Latin through the Christian church and by Old Norse through Viking invasions. The Norman conquest in the 11th century introduced French vocabulary and spelling conventions. The Great Vowel Shift marked the transition to Modern English from Middle English in the 15th century. English has since assimilated many words from other languages through British colonialism and American cultural influence, becoming a global lingua franca with a large vocabulary.