William I, known as William the Conqueror, was king of England from 1066 to As king, William reorganized the feudal system, making all landholders swear greater loyalty to him rather than to their separate lords. The Norman Conquest had a very great influence on England’s history, culture and language. William gave a lot of land and power to other Normans, so that French became the language of the ruling class, and built many castles to control the English.

Compiled in 1086 under the direction of William the Conquerer, the Domesday Book was a survey of feudal estates in England.

Now the country was divided into "shires", or "counties", as the Normans called them. William I appointed a royal official in each shire to be his "sheriff'‘. The royal sheriffs became of great importance. Through the sheriffs the king exercised control over all his vassals. William I created a Great Council made up of bishops and barons, the Normans had different manners, customs and laws from those of the conquered people. They spoke a foreign tongue and the Anglo-Saxon peasants could not understand their speech. The Normans spent their childhood and youth in military training and as they grew up they spent their time in wars or feasting with guests in the halls of their castles. The Norman lords were fond of the tournament and hunting. The victorious Normans made up the new aristocracy and the Anglo-Saxon people became their servants. The Norman aristocracy spoke a Norman dialect of French, a tongue of Latin origin, while the Anglo-Saxons spoke English, a tongue of Germanic origin. Norman French became the official language of the state. It was the language of the ruling class. All the official documents were written in French or Latin. Words of Germanic origin make up the basic vocabulary of modern English. In modern English simple everyday words are mostly Anglo-Saxon like "eat", "land', 'house " and others. But as there were no English words to describe the more complicated feudal relations, many words were adopted from the French language. For example, " baron, obey, council, court, crime, arms, troops, navy, battle" and other words characterizing the way of life and customs of the Norman aristocracy. The two languages gradually formed one rich English language, which already in the XIV century was being used both in speech and in writing.

1. We find in modern English that 2 words are used for the same things: a)Why are the words for living animals, like "sheep", "ox" and "pig", of Anglo-Saxon origin, and the corresponding words for the same animals used as meat, namely "mutton", "beef and "pork" of French origin? b)Why are many synonymous words of Anglo-Saxon origin used in ordinary speech, while those of French origin - in formal speech? For example, such verbs as: to give up - to abandon to come in - to enter; to go on - to continue, c) In modern English the word "county" is used instead of its old equivalent "shire ". How can it be explained? 2. How can you account for the fact, that English words of Germanic origin generally indicate elementary ideas and simple notions, such as "eat, laugh, ride, good, bad, earth, land, house, water" and others without which people cannot get along in everyday speech? 3. How can you account for the French origin of the following words: a) feudal, baron, vassal, prince, duke; b) state, government, power, crown; c) pleasure, delight, comfort!