History of the English language

By facebooker_100001224462975
  • 500

    Bede describtions of England at this time: "This Island at present... Contains five nations, the English, Britons, Scots, Picts and Latins."

  • Period: 500 to Apr 20, 1066

    "Old English"

    The English history is that of repeated invasions by different foreign powers.
    First the Celts and the Romans.
    Then the Anglo-Saxon period, about the 5th century. This is where the language we today know as English really started.
    This was caused also caused by the great Danish invasion & settling in the 9th century.
  • 510

    Anglo-Saxon Invasion

    England is invaded by Angles (northern Germans), Saxons (Germans), and Jutes (Danes from Jutland).
    The language of the invaders makes a clear cut in spoken and written English language, many places obliterating whatever had been spoken there before.
  • Feb 25, 730

    Bede writes his book "The Ecclesiastical History of the English People"

    Bede writes his book "The Ecclesiastical History of the English People". This gains him the title "The Father of English History"
  • Oct 20, 1066

    The Normans invade Britain

    Normans invade Britain, and establish themselves as the ruling class. This has a huge effect on both the French and English lanugage, making both even more akin to each other.
    The have a this point established themselves as the ruling class.
  • Period: Oct 20, 1066 to Aug 23, 1470

    "Middle English" 1066-1470

    This period is also known as "The Trilingual" period.
    England was invaded by the French-speaking Normans, and their language became dominant amongst the countrys Elite.
    Members of the priesthood (Bishops, Cardinals, Priests, etc.) still spoke Latin.
    And to complete the circle, the enormous mass of loyal subjects that made up the people, spoke their "good ol' english".
  • Aug 30, 1399

    Beginning of "The Wars of The Roses"

    The previous norman king, Richard III dies. This leaves two branches of the family tree fighting for supremacy: The Plantagenets and the Tudors.
  • Period: Sep 17, 1476 to

    "Early Modern English"

    At this point, English already loos a whole lot like the way we know it today.
    There was nothing that was "correct" english yet, as there did not even exist a dictionarie yet. But it was being worked on, and now it couldn't be far...
  • Sep 27, 1485

    End of "The Wars of The Roses"

    This war marks the end of the norman governing of England. The throne is usurped from the Plantagenets, by the Tudors.

  • Signing of "The Declaration of Independence"

    The former british colonies of America gaing independence. Their wide usage of English helps spread the language.
  • Period: to

    Modern English

    From the 1800 ands up until today, Englsih has spread all over the world. Especially the Enlish-speaking Americans have contributed to this.

  • Danes Invade England

    Danes Invade England, and the Danelaw is established.

  • The Beowulf Poem

    The Beowulf poem, the oldest Enlglish text know to this day, is supposedly written somewhere in between the years 700 - 1000.