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Questions and Answers
When did the Roman invasion of Britain take place?
When did the Roman invasion of Britain take place?
What was the result of the Roman occupation of Britain?
What was the result of the Roman occupation of Britain?
What was the fate of the Celtic languages after the Anglo-Saxon invasions?
What was the fate of the Celtic languages after the Anglo-Saxon invasions?
What was the writing system used by the Anglo-Saxons?
What was the writing system used by the Anglo-Saxons?
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What was the language spoken by the Anglo-Saxons?
What was the language spoken by the Anglo-Saxons?
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When did the Romans withdraw from Britain?
When did the Romans withdraw from Britain?
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What was the result of the Anglo-Saxon invasions on the Celtic-speaking people?
What was the result of the Anglo-Saxon invasions on the Celtic-speaking people?
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What was the social impact of the Anglo-Saxon invasions on the British Islands?
What was the social impact of the Anglo-Saxon invasions on the British Islands?
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What led to the Norman takeover of English society in 1066?
What led to the Norman takeover of English society in 1066?
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What was the language of the ruling class in England after the Norman conquest?
What was the language of the ruling class in England after the Norman conquest?
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What document is considered the most remarkable example of Middle English?
What document is considered the most remarkable example of Middle English?
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What event in the 15th century contributed to the development of Modern English?
What event in the 15th century contributed to the development of Modern English?
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Who is credited with contributing to the standardization of the English language in the 16th century?
Who is credited with contributing to the standardization of the English language in the 16th century?
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What was published in 1611 and contributed to the development of Modern English?
What was published in 1611 and contributed to the development of Modern English?
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What percentage of the world population speaks Indo-European languages?
What percentage of the world population speaks Indo-European languages?
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Where did the Proto-Indo-European language hypothetically originate?
Where did the Proto-Indo-European language hypothetically originate?
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What is the earliest known stage of the English language?
What is the earliest known stage of the English language?
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Who were the first permanent settlers in Britain?
Who were the first permanent settlers in Britain?
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Which language family does English belong to?
Which language family does English belong to?
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What is the name of the hypothetical language that all Indo-European languages descended from?
What is the name of the hypothetical language that all Indo-European languages descended from?
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When did the Celtic culture start to emerge?
When did the Celtic culture start to emerge?
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What is the correct order of the peoples who settled in Britain?
What is the correct order of the peoples who settled in Britain?
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Study Notes
Origins of the English Language
- The English language belongs to the Indo-European family, which is the largest language family in the world with 46% of the world population speaking Indo-European languages.
- There are 440 living Indo-European languages, and the family goes back to a hypothetical language called Proto-Indo-European, spoken between 4,500 and 2,500 B.C.E. in present-day Ukraine.
Indo-European Language Family
- The Indo-European language family includes:
- Albanian
- Armenian
- Balto-Slavic (e.g., Latvian, Polish, Bulgarian, Russian)
- Celtic (e.g., Welsh, Breton)
- Germanic
- Hellenic (e.g., Greek, Tsakonian Greek)
- Indo-Iranian (e.g., Hindi, Punjabi, Persian, Pashto)
- Italic (e.g., Latin)
Germanic Language Family
- The Germanic language family includes:
- North Germanic (e.g., Swedish, Danish)
- East Germanic (e.g., Gothic)
- West Germanic (e.g., English, German, Dutch)
West Germanic Language Family
- The West Germanic language family includes:
- Low Franconian (e.g., Dutch, Limburgish, Afrikaans)
- Central German (e.g., Luxembourgish)
- Upper German (e.g., Standard German)
- Anglo-Frisian (e.g., English, Frisian, Scots)
History of the English Language
- The English language has evolved through three stages:
- Old English (6th-11th century)
- Middle English (11th-15th century)
- Modern English (15th century-present day)
- The English language was influenced by the Celts, Romans, Angles, Saxons, Jutes, Vikings, and Normans.
Pre-Celtic Britain
- The first permanent settlements in Britain date back to 6,000 years ago.
Celts and Romans
- The Celts brought their culture to Britain around 1,000 B.C.
- The Romans invaded Britain in 43 C.E. and built Hadrian's Wall.
- The Romans withdrew from Britain by 410 C.E.
Anglo-Saxon Invasions
- The Anglo-Saxon invasions of the British Islands occurred from the 5th to 7th century C.E.
- Germanic tribes from mainland Europe, including the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, invaded Britain.
- The Anglo-Saxon invasions led to the formation of various Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, including Wessex, Mercia, Sussex, and Northumbria.
Old English and Middle English
- The Anglo-Saxon language, Old English, was spoken from the 6th to 11th century.
- Old English evolved into Middle English (11th-15th century) through the influence of Anglo-Norman.
- The most remarkable Middle English document is The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer.
From Middle to Modern English
- The Great Vowel Shift occurred in the 15th century, making English sound more like modern-day English.
- The invention of printing in the 16th century led to the spread of ideas and the need for a standardized language.
- The King James Bible was published in 1611, and William Shakespeare's works contributed to the development of Modern English.
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Description
Explore the origins of the English language, including its Indo-European roots and the main language families of the world. Learn about the Afro-Asiatic, Austronesian, Niger-Congo, and Sino-Tibetan families and their speaker populations.
