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400
Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain (Old English)
The Anglo-Saxons invaded Britain, spoke similar Germanic languages and preferred to speak their own languages over the Celtic language of the British. -
Period: 450 to 1100
Old English
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580
Suspected date of Beowulf's writing
The first writing known in Old English literature -
597
Arrival of Christian missionaries in Britain (Old English)
Christian missionaries are arriving in Britain, bringing with them scriptures from the Bible and manuscripts, all written in Latin. It contains a large number of Latin words in Old English. The authors began to write manuscripts and write the words according to their sound, because there was no standard spelling. -
787
The First Viking attack on England (Old English)
The Viking invasion of Britain began in 787, and in less than 100 years they gained control of much of eastern England. He spoke Scandinavian and remained in power until the Anglo-Saxons fought Alfred the Great in 878, who saved the English language from complete destruction. In England, there was discord between the north and east of England, as well as between the south and the west. It was called Danelaw. The two will trade, and thus the language merged with English absorbs the Old Norse. -
1066
The Norman Invasion
During the Norman invasion, the Normans introduced new French words. This created an English-speaking lower class and a French-speaking upper class. Eventually, English became the dominant language in the UK and French words were incorporated into the English language, making the language "Middle English". -
Period: 1100 to 1500
Middle English
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1209
University of Cambridge is Formed (Middle English)
Oxford Scholars formed the University of Cambridge to teach in their regular courses. Oxford scientists fled to Cambridge to escape enemy cities. -
1342
Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
Some of the most important work done in time reveal what life was like at the time -
1362
Pleading in English Act (Middle English)
Because the French language was unknown in England, the law allowed English to be applied in court instead of French. -
1385
English replaced French in Schools (Middle English)
French was the language taught in schools but it was officially replaced by English -
1450
The Printing Press
The making of the printing press changed the English language a lot, the language could finally be standardized, grammar and spelling could be improved. Finally books became cheaper and easier to print. -
Period: 1500 to
Modern English
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The Discovery of North America
The discovery of North America gave rise to different styles of English. When they first arrived in the United States, they discovered that different places speak English but pronounce it in different ways. -
The King James Bible (Early Modern)
A team of writers “went out of their way” to make King Jame’s Bible translation appealing to everyone. The King James Bible was published in English and was read by preachers in every church. Words and phrases have traveled throughout Britain and taught us many metaphors. -
Publication of Shakespeare's First Folio
The publication of Shakespeare's first folio is important because it established Early Modern English. This is the language closest to us today and is one of the reasons our language is like today -
Science in America (Early Modern)
It was not until the 17th century that scientists gained much recognition. And suddenly many physicists appeared in Britain. These scientists believed that they could quickly gain an understanding of the universe by creating their own language. Scientists have given us words like gravity, acid and electricity. -
The American Revolution
The American Revolution helped the English language and really shaped how it is today. -
Shortened Unusual Grammar is Taking Over (Late Modern English)
The English language changed a lot. Advances in technology and social networks have influenced the use of these new words. Words like blog, apps and social media are derived from this new grammar.