A Very Brief A Very Brief History of the History of the

English LanguageEnglish Language

O

ld English

Old English

Middle English

Middle English

Early M

odern

Early M

odern

Late

Late

Modern

Modern

450

450

11501150

15001500

1800

1800

B

eowulf

Beowulf Canterb

ury Tales

Macbeth

Canterb

ury Tales

Macbeth

Heart of D

arkness

Heart of D

arkness

The English Continuum…

The CeltsThe Celts3000 BC3000 BC

Various tribes with Various tribes with common common language, religion, and customslanguage, religion, and customs

Lacked writing systemLacked writing system, but found , but found ways to express themselves…ways to express themselves…

55 B.C. Roman Invasion55 B.C. Roman Invasion

Influence?

•Language: Greek and Roman (1st Latin influence)

•Religion: Christianity

•Roman withdrawal in 410 AD left them vulnerable to attack

The Germanic InvasionThe Germanic Invasion 410-1066410-1066 AnglesAngles (Denmark), (Denmark), SaxonsSaxons (N. (N.

Germany), and Germany), and JutesJutes (?) (?)

Centuries of ethnic cleansing/ Centuries of ethnic cleansing/

intermarryingintermarrying Germanic language-Germanic language-Beginning of Beginning of Old Old

EnglishEnglish Latin influence (2Latin influence (2ndnd)): : Anglo Saxons Anglo Saxons

convert to Christianityconvert to Christianity

Map of Anglo-Saxon England

The Norman InvasionThe Norman Invasion 10661066

William the Conqueror (Duke of William the Conqueror (Duke of Normandy)Normandy)

Institutes feudalism Institutes feudalism

Anglo-Norman (Dialect of Old French)Anglo-Norman (Dialect of Old French) Polite society speaks French Polite society speaks French for 300 years!for 300 years! (3(3rdrd Latin Influence) Latin Influence)

English as the Native English as the Native Tongue:Tongue:

1204 AD: King John loses Normandy to 1204 AD: King John loses Normandy to FranceFrance

England England chief concern for nobility chief concern for nobility

Adopted modified English as native Adopted modified English as native tonguetongue

The Black DeathThe Black Death 1349-50: One third of population died1349-50: One third of population died

Laboring and Merchant Laboring and Merchant economic economic and social importanceand social importance

Rise of English! Rise of English! (compared to Anglo-(compared to Anglo-Norman)Norman)

Middle EnglishMiddle English

Combination of Old English and Combination of Old English and FrenchFrench

Incorporate Middle English into YOUR Incorporate Middle English into YOUR vocabulary!vocabulary!

Anon: right awayAnon: right away No force: [I] don't careNo force: [I] don't care Gramercy: many thanksGramercy: many thanks

The Statute of PleadingThe Statute of Pleading

13621362

English English language of language of courts and parliamentcourts and parliament

Nobility = Commoners Nobility = Commoners (linguistically)(linguistically)

The Renaissance and The Renaissance and Early Early Modern EnglishModern English

1500-18001500-1800

Middle English Middle English Modern English: Modern English: Revival of classical study (4Revival of classical study (4thth Latin influence) Latin influence) The Great Vowel ShiftThe Great Vowel Shift (1400) (1400)

crime: criminalcrime: criminalplease: pleasantplease: pleasantgrateful: gratitudegrateful: gratitudeabound: abundantabound: abundantgoose: goslinggoose: gosling

Printing Press Printing Press (1476 in England)(1476 in England)

Late-Modern EnglishLate-Modern English 1800-Present1800-Present Expanded vocabularyExpanded vocabulary::

Industrial and Scientific RevolutionIndustrial and Scientific Revolution EX: Oxygen, protein, nuclear, vaccine (Classical)EX: Oxygen, protein, nuclear, vaccine (Classical)

British EmpireBritish Empire EX: Shampoo, pajamas, juggernaut (Hindi and EX: Shampoo, pajamas, juggernaut (Hindi and

other Indian languages)other Indian languages) Military InfluenceMilitary Influence

EX: Blockbuster, camouflage, radar, nosediveEX: Blockbuster, camouflage, radar, nosedive Technological Revolution Technological Revolution

American EnglishAmerican English Colonization Colonization 16001600

Pronunciations and usages “froze”Pronunciations and usages “froze” EX: Autumn EX: Autumn Fall Fall EX: Rubbish EX: Rubbish Trash Trash

Native American influenceNative American influence EX: Mississippi, raccoon, barbecue, and EX: Mississippi, raccoon, barbecue, and

tomato tomato Native American Native American

Spanish InfluenceSpanish Influence EX: Mustang, canyon, ranch, stampedeEX: Mustang, canyon, ranch, stampede

Old English (c. 1000) :Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum 

si þin nama gehalgod tobecume þin rice gewurþe þin willa on eorðan swa swa on heofonum 

urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us to dæg and forgyf us ure gyltas swa swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge ac alys us of yfele soþlice.

  Middle English (Wyclif, 1384):

Oure fadir þat art in heuenes halwid be þi name;  þi reume or kyngdom come to be. Be þi wille don in herþe as it is doun in

heuene. yeue to us today oure eche dayes bred. 

And foryeue to us oure dettis þat is oure synnys as we foryeuen to oure dettouris þat is to men þat han synned in us. 

And lede us not into temptacion but delyuere us from euyl.

Early Modern English (King James Version, 1611) :Our father which art in heauen, hallowed be thy name. 

Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen. Giue us this day our daily bread. 

And forgiue us our debts as we forgiue our debters. And lead us not into temptation, but deliuer us from euill. Amen.