By 1600 the English had begun to compete
for colonial territories with the French, Spanish, Portuguese, and Dutch. Over the next 300
years the English extended their rule around the world, from North America to Africa and Australia.
Wherever the British fleet went, the English language went, too.
As people around the world learned English, they spoke the language with different accents and changed the language to fit local conditions. This is still happening today. Some variations of English have almost become distinct languages in themselves.
Another important effect of British colonial rule was the continued expansion of the English vocabulary to include products, customs, and natural features of the new territories. Directly or indirectly English absorbed words from North America, Latin America, Africa, China and other parts of Asia, India, and the Middle East during the colonial period.