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Period: 400 to 1100
OLD ENGLISH
About half of the most commonly used words in Modern English have Old English roots. The words: be, strong, and water, are derived from Old English. -
401
Germanic Tribes invade Britain
Three Germanic tribes invade Britain and bring over their similar language which developed into Old English -
600
Anglo-Saxons are converted to Christianity
St. Augustine and Irish missionaries set out to convert Anglo-Saxons to Christianity. New religious words are borrowed from Latin and Greek. -
800
Alfred the Great uses the English language
After Alfred the Great brought the Anglo-Saxons victory over the Vikings, he then translates Latin works into English. -
900
Beowulf's Writing
The only surviving documentation of Old English was written by an anonymous poet. -
1000
The Norman Invasion
The Duke of Normandy conquered England and brought a type of French that ended up being spoken by the Royal Court, and the ruling and business classes. There was even a bit of time where the division in the higher class of people spoke French and the lower classes spoke English. -
Period: 1100 to 1500
MIDDLE ENGLISH
In the 14th century English became dominant in Britain again, but with many French words added. Some of the common words used were: al be that, everich, and forthy. -
1101
Henry II Controls Ireland
When Henry II takes control of Ireland, English is introduced to the country. -
1200
University of Cambridge
Scholars from Oxford form the University of Cambridge. -
1300
English in England
English becomes the dominant language under Edward I -
1400
Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
This results in English becoming the official language of law courts and replaces Latin in schools. -
1400
The Invention of the Printing Press
The printing press was invented by Johannes Gutenburg. This invention was a large part of the spread of the English language. -
Period: 1500 to
EARLY MODERN ENGLISH
The Great Vowel Shift started which resulted in the pronunciation of vowels becoming shorter. A couple of phrases from Shakespear: One fell swoop, vanish into thin air, flesh and blood. -
1501
The Discovery of North America
The first English settlements are built in North America by Christopher Columbus. -
Publication of Shakespeare's First Folio
The First Folio is considered to be the most reliable source of Shakespeare's language. -
More English Documentation
The 1700s had a lot of revelations in the English language. There were a number of dictionaries, English grammar books, first novels, and even the signing of the Declaration of Independence which set English as the primary language. -
Period: to
LATE MODERN ENGLISH (1800 - Present)
Pronunciation of the spelling of words became much more concrete in English. Some of the common words of the 21st century are bet, cap, and fosho. -
The American Revolution
When America gained independence from England Noah Webster created America's first English dictionary so America could look to America for linguistic assistance. -
Invention of the Telegraph
Samuel Morse invents the Telegraph. This caused a rapid spread of communication and was a major influence on the usage of English. -
Oxford English Dictionary is published.
Over 20 volumes that encompass the English language.