The Adventure of English: 500 A.D. to 2000 A.D. SeriesWritten and presented by Melvyn Bragg, this eight-part series tells the story of how English became a global language. Along the way, each episode uses location footage, rare manuscripts, linguistic experts, and fascinating etymologies to chart the growth of English, its encounters with other languages, its history, and its far-ranging influence. 8-part series, 52 minutes each.