The EXCITING, MIND BLOWING History of ENGLISH!!!

Brain Stretcher What do the following words have in common? Baxter Brewster Spinster

Question Time Which language or languages are NOT related to English? Chinese French Romanian Persian / Farsi Greek Sanskrit

Did you know….? England, the home of English, is named for some of our wonderful “barbarian” friends. HINT: What is the French for England?

The First Inhabitants of England Britons Picts Gaelic (Irish) Known collectively as the Celts

Celtic Tribes & and Words from Celtic Languages Brock Bog Keening Clan Basket Hog

Roman Britain 43 - 410

Enter the Germanic Tribes

The Once and Future King! Camelot Excaliber Avalon Knights of the Round Table The Holy Grail The Lady of the Lake (p.518-519)

Old English (500 – 1100) The first epic poem in English

BEOWULF: The Prologue

(Old English - Anglo-Saxon) The Lord's Prayer (Old English - Anglo-Saxon)   Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum; Si þin nama gehalgod to becume þin rice gewurþe ðin willa on eorðan swa swa on heofonum. urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us todæg and forgyf us ure gyltas swa swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge ac alys us of yfele soþlice Translation of Old English Text

The Danes / Vikings / Norse (800)

Viking Words Want Uggligr Berserk Knifr Husbondi Freckle Kaka (not what you think!) Elf & troll Scream They / them / their And 100’s more!

Alfred the Great 849 - 899 After 70 years of fighting, the Vikings had conquered all of the kingdoms of England, except for Wessex. Only King Alfred’s forces stopped them from taking over all of England.

Significance English continued as the main language of England. Christianity remains the dominant faith of England (the Vikings convert). Supported education for landowners (including women!) Translated books from Latin into English so people could actually understand them. Codified English law (becomes the basis for English Common law)

Middle English (1100 – 1500) Marked by the coming of the Normans…

Impact on English English becomes the THIRD language after French and Latin. So, all official business is conducted in French or Latin. [10,000 new words] The French were the rulers so all of the fancy words and words concerning government came from French or Latin. (rule, govern, duke, royal….) Law (justice, legal, prosecute… Religion (pastor, minister, scripture…) Literature (romance, courtesy, desire…) Words concerning common everyday stuff remained English, BUT up to 85% of Anglo Saxon vocab was lost! http://www.thehistoryofenglish.com/history_middle.html

Impact in Other Areas Introduction of castles (5oo built in 20 years) William the Conqueror banned slavery

Name that Animal / Food Moo Oink Baa

Is it French (Latin) or is it English? Swan / cygnet Demand / ask Wish / desire Room / chamber Liberty / freedom

Famous Middle English Poem by Geoffrey Chaucer

  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. Here begins the Book of the Tales of Canterbury 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

How far back in time could you go and still understand English?

Modern English 1500 +