History of the English Language

In the beginning…. The language originally spoken in Britain was a Gaelic/Welsh language The few words which remain often are place names (Thames) or landscape features (tor) 43–410 A.D. Roman Conquest –Their language was Latin. The Roman’s built Hadrian’s Wall across England (73 miles) to protect separate the Romans from the “barbarians”

After the collapse of the Roman Empire, the armies withdrew. When the Scots and the Picts began to raid across the wall, King Vortigern hired some of the Germanic tribes as defenders. These tribes turned against the Celts who were then pushed out of England into Scotland, Wales, Ireland, and Brittany in France.

Anglo-Saxon Period The Angles, Saxons, and Jutes invaded the southeastern section of England around 450. They called this new land “Angle-land” The invaders spoke Germanic languages Contributed many basic words: “wife,” “child,” “house,” “Thursday,” “for”

Old English ( ) A combination of the language spoken by the Celtic people already in Britain and the invading Germanic tribes 90% of our most common words come from Old English – “the,” “this,” “that,” “him,” “it” All auxiliary verbs and many common verbs and adjectives have also survived from Old English

Beowulf ( ) Hwæt! Wé Gárdena in géardagumListen! We --of the Spear-Danes in the days of yore,Spear-Danes þéodcyninga þrym gefrúnon·of those clan-kings-- heard of their glory.heard hú ðá æþelingas ellen fremedon.how those nobles performed courageous deeds. Oft Scyld Scéfing sceaþena þréatumOften Scyld, Scef's son, from enemy hostsScyld, Scef's monegum maégþum meodosetla oftéah·from many peoples seized mead-benches; egsode Eorle syððan aérest wearðand terrorised the fearsome Heruli after first he wasthe fearsome Heruli féasceaft funden hé þæs frófre gebád·found helpless and destitute, he then knew recompense for that:- wéox under wolcnum· weorðmyndum þáhhe waxed under the clouds, throve in honours, oð þæt him aéghwylc þára ymbsittendrauntil to him each of the bordering tribes ofer hronráde hýran scolde,beyond the whale-road had to submit,whale-road gomban gyldan· þæt wæs gód cyning.and yield tribute:- that was a good king! Ðaém eafera wæs æfter cennedTo him a heir was born then geong in geardum þone god sendeyoung in the yards, God sent him folce tó frófre· fyrenðearfe ongeat·to comfort the people; He had seen the dire distress

Christianity Around 596, missionaries began the conversion of the Anglo-Saxons. The conversion appeared complete within 75 years; however, many held on to their pagan beliefs and traditions. The Anglo-Saxons had a strong oral poetry tradition, but most literate people were in the church. Therefore, written records from the Old English period deal with religious matters. Beowulf was originally a pagan story, but when members of the clergy recorded the story, Christian elements were introduced. “Altar,” “preach,” “monk,” “school”

The Dark Ages Around 793, the Danes (Vikings) began to invade England. “Husband,” “sky,” “rotten,” “give” By 878, the Saxon king of Wessex turned the tide, capturing London and much of England. He became known as Alfred the Great. His son and grandson were able to win back all of England and establish peace.

Middle Ages ( ) Norman Conquest 1066 – In 1066, the English king Edward died without having an heir. The Duke of Normandy in France laid claim to the throne. At the Battle of Hastings, the duke defeated the Anglos-Saxons and became King William I. The language of his court was French.

French Influence The clergy were forced to use French and Latin. Many synonyms were added: “kingly,” “royal,” “regal,” “sovereign” Words dealing with basic concepts, art, learning, medicine, law, and high fashion were also added. “marriage,” “power,” “observe” The Normans added 10,000 new words

Middle English ( ) After the French were removed, interest became focused on English heritage and identity. Characterized by simple grammar Speakers and writers remained casual about spelling 1485 – William Caxton printed Sir Thomas Malory’s Morte d’Arthur, one of the first books printed in English

Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales (14th Century) Whan that aprill with his shoures soote The droghte of march hath perced to the roote, And bathed every veyne in swich licour Of which vertu engendred is the flour; Whan zephirus eek with his sweete breeth Inspired hath in every holt and heeth Tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne Hath in the ram his halve cours yronne, And smale foweles maken melodye, That slepen al the nyght with open ye (so priketh hem nature in hir corages); Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages, And palmeres for to seken straunge strondes, To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes; And specially from every shires ende Of engelond to caunterbury they wende, The hooly blisful martir for to seke, That hem hath holpen whan that they were seeke. When April with his showers sweet with fruit The drought of March has pierced unto the root And bathed each vein with liquor that has power To generate therein and sire the flower; When Zephyr also has, with his sweet breath, Quickened again, in every holt and heath, The tender shoots and buds, and the young sun Into the Ram one half his course has run, And many little birds make melody That sleep through all the night with open eye (So Nature pricks them on to ramp and rage)- Then do folk long to go on pilgrimage, And palmers to go seeking out strange strands, To distant shrines well known in sundry lands. And specially from every shire's end Of England they to Canterbury wend, The holy blessed martyr there to seek Who helped them when they lay so ill and weal

Modern English 1550-today With the invention of the printing press, spelling became uniform Public education lead to a larger number of people gaining access to books, and literacy increased. Through trade and settlement, English speakers have been exposed to other cultures, borrowing new words and expanding the language