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Learn English

English is a West Germanic language that has become the world's most widely learned second language, used as an official or working language across government, business, science, and travel in far more countries than it's natively spoken in.

What makes English distinctive

English grammar itself is comparatively simple by some measures — minimal noun gender, little case marking left — but its spelling is famously inconsistent with its pronunciation, and its vocabulary carries two major historical layers: an everyday Germanic core, and a large, more formal layer of French and Latin loanwords absorbed after the 1066 Norman Conquest.

This page describes English itself, not a Tarc course — English is on the roadmap but hasn't shipped yet. Get in touch if you'd like to be notified when it's available.

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Frequently asked questions

Is English available to learn on Tarc yet?

Not yet — English is planned for a future Tarc course. This page and its linked topic pages cover real facts about the language itself in the meantime.

Why is English spelling so inconsistent?

Largely because a historical sound change called the Great Vowel Shift altered how vowels were pronounced after much of English spelling had already become fixed through early printing, leaving spelling and pronunciation permanently out of step for many words.

Why does English have so many near-synonym word pairs?

English vocabulary layers a native Germanic core with a large French/Latin layer absorbed after the 1066 Norman Conquest, which is why pairs like "kingly" (Germanic) and "royal" (French) exist side by side with slightly different tones.

How can I find out when English launches on Tarc?

Contact Tarc directly to ask to be notified — there's no in-app waitlist system yet.

Get notified when English launches on Tarc →

See also: English Alphabet · English Grammar · Learn Languages with Tarc