Old English Language History

Periods in Development

Old English (1st – 11th centuries AD)

• The Language of the Anglo-Saxons: Germanic tribes (Angles, Saxons, and Jutes) invaded England, displacing the native Celtic-speaking population. Their language, Old English, emerged as a distinct dialect.
• The origin of the name English and England: The name "English" comes from the Angles, while "England" is derived from "Angle-land".
• Landmarks in the History of English:
  • 5th century: Germanic tribes invade England.
  • 7th century: Christianity introduced, leading to Latin influences on Old English.
  • 9th century: Viking invasions introduce Scandinavian elements.
• Characteristics of Old English:
  • Highly inflected language with complex grammar.
  • Limited vocabulary, with many Latin borrowings.
  • Written in the Anglo-Saxon alphabet (Futhorc).

Middle English (11th – 16th Centuries AD)

• Features of Middle English:
  • Emerged from Norman Conquest of England (1066), introducing French influences.
  • Simplification of Old English grammar.
  • Increased use of loanwords from French, Latin, and other languages.
  • Written in the Latin alphabet.

Factors responsible for the Development of Modern English from Middle English

• William Shakespeare (1564-1616): Introduced many new words and phrases, contributing to the development of Early Modern English.
• The Bible: Translation of the Bible into English (King James Version, 1611) helped standardize Modern English.
• The Great Vowel Shift: A significant sound change in English pronunciation, occurring between the 14th and 16th centuries.
• The Dictionary: Publication of dictionaries, such as Samuel Johnson's (1755), helped codify Modern English spelling and vocabulary.

Specific Influences on the English Language

• Latin: Introduced during the Roman occupation and later through Christianity.
• French: Brought by the Normans, influencing vocabulary and spelling.
• Scandinavian languages: Resulting from Viking invasions.
• Other languages: Borrowings from languages such as Greek, Italian, and numerous other languages during the British Empire's colonial period.

Old English (1st – 11th centuries AD)

• Germanic tribes (Angles, Saxons, and Jutes) invaded England, displacing the native Celtic-speaking population.
• The language of the Anglo-Saxons, Old English, emerged as a distinct dialect.
• The name "English" comes from the Angles, while "England" is derived from "Angle-land".
• 5th century: Germanic tribes invaded England.
• 7th century: Christianity introduced, leading to Latin influences on Old English.
• 9th century: Viking invasions introduced Scandinavian elements.
• Old English was a highly inflected language with complex grammar.
• Old English had limited vocabulary, with many Latin borrowings.
• Written in the Anglo-Saxon alphabet (Futhorc).

Middle English (11th – 16th Centuries AD)

• Emerged from Norman Conquest of England (1066), introducing French influences.
• Simplification of Old English grammar.
• Increased use of loanwords from French, Latin, and other languages.
• Written in the Latin alphabet.

Factors responsible for the Development of Modern English from Middle English

• William Shakespeare introduced many new words and phrases, contributing to the development of Early Modern English.
• The translation of the Bible into English (King James Version, 1611) helped standardize Modern English.
• The Great Vowel Shift occurred between the 14th and 16th centuries.
• Publication of dictionaries, such as Samuel Johnson's (1755), helped codify Modern English spelling and vocabulary.

Specific Influences on the English Language

• Latin was introduced during the Roman occupation and later through Christianity.
• French was brought by the Normans, influencing vocabulary and spelling.
• Scandinavian languages influenced English through Viking invasions.
• Other languages, such as Greek, Italian, and numerous others, influenced English during the British Empire's colonial period.

Periods in Development of English

Old English (1st – 11th centuries AD)

• Germanic tribes (Angles, Saxons, and Jutes) invaded England, displacing the native Celtic-speaking population.
• The name English and England originated from the name of the Angles, one of the Germanic tribes.
• Key events in Old English history:
  • 5th century: Germanic tribes settled in England.
  • 7th century: Conversion to Christianity introduced Latin influence.
  • 9th century: Viking invasions introduced Norse influence.
• Characteristics of Old English:
  • Germanic vocabulary and grammar.
  • Highly inflected with complex grammar.
  • Limited vocabulary (approx. 20,000 words).

Middle English (11th – 16th Centuries AD)

• Features of Middle English:
  • Norman Conquest of 1066 introduced French influence.
  • Vocabulary expanded to approx. 50,000 words.
  • Grammar simplified, with reduced inflection.

Factors responsible for the Development of Modern English from Middle English

• William Shakespeare's contributions to standardization of English through his plays and poems (1564-1616).
• The translation of the Bible into English (1382) helped to establish a standard English vocabulary.
• The Great Vowel Shift: a significant change in English pronunciation between the 14th and 16th centuries, with a lasting impact on the language.
• The first English dictionary, compiled by Samuel Johnson (1755), helped to standardize English spelling and vocabulary.

Specific Influences on the English Language

• Latin and Greek influences:
  • Introduced during the Roman occupation and through Christianity.
  • Influenced vocabulary and grammar.
• French and Norman influences:
  • Introduced through the Norman Conquest.
  • Influenced vocabulary and grammar.
• Other language influences:
  • Norse, introduced through Viking invasions.
  • Dutch, and numerous other languages introduced through trade, colonization, and immigration.