English

By clindt
  • 400

    Romans

    Invasion by the Romans, who spoke Latin.
    The Latin names to places are still used today.
  • Period: 400 to

    English

  • 425

    Celts

    The first language we know.
    2500 years ago.
    They spoke Welsh and Scots Gaelic.
  • 450

    Anglo-Saxon

    British Isles were invaded by Angles, Saxons and Jutes.
    What we know as English started here, known as "Old English".
  • Apr 11, 1066

    Normans

    The Normans invaded England.
    French became a high status language in England, but only the King and his nobles and the elite spoke this.
    The common people spoke "good Old English".
  • Apr 11, 1470

    Middle English

    No more invasions.
    English took over from French, "Middle English".
    Words could be spelled in different ways. In the beginning of the period it was easy to write a text but it was difficult to read.
  • Apr 12, 1476

    Early Modern English

    Languages change when societies change.
    Latin had more influence because of religion.
  • Apr 12, 1476

    Printing Press

    William Caxton set up the first printing press.
    The printing press could mass produce texts and it did not take long.
    The language had to be understandable throughout the country.
    The printing press was the greatest change in the transition from Middle English to Modern English.
  • Apr 11, 1525

    English Bible

    The New Testament of the Bible was translated into English.
    The church did not like the fact that people could read the Bible themselves.
    Therefore the Bible was smuggled into England.

  • Modern English

    English has been influenced by many events and many languages. The change in standard English reflects the multiple social, scientific, technological and economic developments.
    We are all playing a part in shaping English.

  • Literature

    Shakespeare is the most well-known author.
    Many words are first found in Shakespeare's plays. And he took English spoken words and put them into print.
    Shakespeare changed the (e)th-ending into the -s in the third person singular.

  • Vikings

    The Vikings (E.g. from Norway and Denmark) invaded Britain.
    They raided and settled as farmers in the northern part of Britain.