6 Questions
Old English reflected the varied origins of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms established in different parts of Britain. The Late West Saxon dialect eventually became ______
dominant
The Anglo-Saxons settled in the British Isles from the mid-5th century and came to dominate the bulk of southern Great Britain. Their language originated as a group of Ingvaeonic languages which were spoken by the settlers in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages, displacing the ______ languages (and, possibly, British Latin) that had previously been dominant.
Celtic
After the Norman conquest in 1066, Old English was replaced, for a time, by Anglo-Norman (also known as Anglo-Norman French) as the language of the upper ______.
classes
A significant subsequent influence on the shaping of Old English came from contact with the North Germanic languages spoken by the Scandinavian Vikings who conquered and colonized parts of Britain during the 8th and 9th centuries, which led to much lexical borrowing and grammatical ______.
simplification
The Anglian dialects had a greater influence on ______ English.
Middle
Definition
The base form of a verb (also known as root form) is the verb as is—with no changes or conjugations. In other words, no suffixes have been added to it. Examples of verbs in their base form include: run, enjoy, talk, giggle, hang, love, jump, clap, cuddle, scream, watch, travel, cough, sing, and many more. The base form is the major ingredient that’s needed to create all other forms. However, whether it is altered or not to create other forms (past tense and past participle) depends on if the verb is regular or irregular.
Study Notes
Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms and Language
- Old English reflected the varied origins of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms established in different parts of Britain.
- The Anglo-Saxons settled in the British Isles from the mid-5th century and came to dominate the bulk of southern Great Britain.
Language Origins
- The Anglo-Saxon language originated as a group of Ingvaeonic languages spoken by the settlers in England and southern and eastern Scotland in the early Middle Ages.
- It displaced the Celtic languages (and, possibly, British Latin) that had previously been dominant.
Norman Conquest and Language Shift
- After the Norman conquest in 1066, Old English was replaced by Anglo-Norman (also known as Anglo-Norman French) as the language of the upper class.
Scandinavian Influence
- The Scandinavian Vikings who conquered and colonized parts of Britain during the 8th and 9th centuries had a significant influence on Old English.
- This led to much lexical borrowing and grammatical influence.
Dialects and English Development
- The Anglian dialects had a greater influence on Middle English.
- Late West Saxon dialect eventually became the standard dialect of Old English.
Test your knowledge of the history of the English language with this quiz. Explore the origins of English, its evolution, and key historical events that shaped its development.
Make Your Own Quizzes and Flashcards
Convert your notes into interactive study material.
Get started for free
