Windows 10: Language on Windows 10

I'm having trouble with the 'language' settings in a basic Lenovo laptop running on Windows 10 Home updated to the current version of Windows 10. I bought the laptop about in December 2019 and, when Windows 10 self-installed the first time I used it, I was not given an option to do away with 'speech recognition' which I don't need at all and seems a waste of resources in a machine with a weak processor, low RAM and 60 GB storage. But nowhere was I given the option not to install'speech recognition' nor of doing away with the 'US English' package since I am helping people doing research in Oxford, UK, and the papers are to be written in British English.

So, from day one I found my installation cluttered with all sorts of language packages not only the unwanted 'US English' but, for some mysterious reason, also 'Uganda English' in addition to the full 'speech recognition'. My efforts to get rid of all that were futile: the command 'uninstall' beside most of them shows with a faint shade which means 'forget about uninstalling me!'.


I was ready to accept the Microsoft knows better and when it ignores us it is only for our own good. So I began to work with the new machine and forgot about the language packages. The reason why, a month on from that unlucky start, I am asking your informed help is that, all of a sudden, my word processor -- 'Apache OpenOffice', which has always worked without a glitch in my older three other computers two with W10 and one with W7 -- flags in red underlining whatever I write, irrespective of the language I set for spelling correction.


MY QUESTION: can I remove all those language packages plus the whole 'speech recognition' one from my installation of Windows 10, version 1909 2?

Many thanks.

:)

 

Windows 8.1 update changed the language, can't change back

Maybe, these will help... it seems it is a common enough problem.

Language packs are no longer available after you upgrade to Windows 8.1

And, sort of the same here --> Add a language or keyboard

Quote from above MS web page:

Spoiler Download and install language packs
You'll need to download the language pack if you want to make a language your Windows display language (that's the language you see most often in Windows and apps).

• Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings.
  (If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.)
• Tap or click Time and language, and then tap or click Region and language.
• Tap or click a language that says Language pack available underneath, and then tap or click Options.
• Tap or click Download. The download process might take a while, depending on your PC and the size of the language pack.
  If you want to make this your display language, see the next section "Change your Windows display language".

Change your Windows display language
To change your Windows display language (that's the language you see most often in Windows and apps), first add a language, download and install the language pack, and then follow these steps.

• Swipe in from the right edge of the screen, tap Settings, and then tap Change PC settings.
  (If you're using a mouse, point to the lower-right corner of the screen, move the mouse pointer up, click Settings, and then click Change PC settings.)
• Tap or click Time and language, and then tap or click Region and language.
• Tap or click the language that you want to set as your display language.
• Tap or click Set as primary to move the language to the top of the list. If the language can become your Windows display language, you'll see Will be display language after next sign-in appear under the language.
• Sign out and then sign back in to finish.

And here is some more info --> Add Language Packs to Windows

 

change language display on windows 10

Hi,

Thanks for your interest on Windows 10.



To assist you better I would like to know, what was the base language for your previous Operating system?



I would suggest you to follow the below steps and check if it helps.

Step 1: Remove the Japanese language.

• 
  Press Windows + X on your keyboard.
  
• 
  Select Control panel.
  
• 
  Select language.
  
• 
  Click on the Option adjacent to the
  Japanese language.
  
• 
  Click on remove under input method.
  

Step 2: Add English Language.

• 
  Press Windows + X on your keyboard.
  
• 
  Select Control panel.
  
• 
  Select language.
  
• 
  Click on Add language.
  
• 
  Add the English language from the given list.
  

Hope it helps, reply to us with the status of your issue. We will be happy to assist you.

 

Windows 10 Tweaks

Pressing “Windows+Pause Break” (it’s up there next to scroll lock) opens the “System” Window.

Windows 10: In the new version of Windows, Explorer has a section called Quick Access. This includes your frequent folders and recent files. Explorer defaults to opening this page when you open a new window. If you’d rather open the usual This PC, with links to your drives and library folders, follow these steps:

• Open a new Explorer window.
• Click View in the ribbon.
• Click Options.
• Under General, next to “Open File Explorer to:” choose “This PC.”
• Click OK

credit to Lifehacker.