Columbia Encyclopedia

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English horn

(Encyclopedia)CE5 English horn English horn, musical instrument, the alto of the oboe family, pitched a fifth lower than the oboe and treated as a transposing instrument. It has a pear-shaped bell, giving it a ...

English language

(Encyclopedia)English language, member of the West Germanic group of the Germanic subfamily of the Indo-European family of languages (see Germanic languages). Spoken by about 470 million people throughout the world...

English literature

(Encyclopedia)English literature, literature written in English since c.1450 by the inhabitants of the British Isles; it was during the 15th cent. that the English language acquired much of its modern form. For the...

English setter

(Encyclopedia)English setter, breed of large sporting dog developed over hundreds of years in England. It stands about 25 in. (63.5 cm) high at the shoulder and weighs about 60 lb (27.2 kg). Its flat or slightly wa...

English sheepdog

(Encyclopedia)English sheepdog: see old English sheepdog. ...

English sparrow

(Encyclopedia)English sparrow or house sparrow, small bird, Passer domesticus, common throughout most of the world. English sparrows are 4 to 7 in. (10–18 cm) long, with short, stout bills. The male is brown with...

Old English

(Encyclopedia)Old English: see type; English language; Anglo-Saxon literature. ...

borough-English

(Encyclopedia)borough-English, a custom of inheritance in parts of England whereby land passed typically to the youngest son in preference to his older brothers. Of Anglo-Saxon origin, the custom was abolished by l...

Black English

(Encyclopedia)Black English, distinctive dialect spoken at times by as many as 80% to 90% of African Americans; also called ebonics [from ebony and phonics]. Long considered merely substandard English, it is in fac...

pigeon English

(Encyclopedia)pigeon English: see pidgin.