The History of the English Language

Instagram and Snapchat Debut

2011 BCE

Instagram and Snapchat are a current form of social media, used worldwide, for people to post pictures with comments. Many new words have been shared and spread across these platforms and used by teenagers and influencers.

First Blogging Sites

1998 BCE

Personal Blogs became very popular from the late 90's through the early 2000's and made it easier to spread new slang and other shortened versions of English words.

Beginning of the Internet

1983 BCE

The internet has a large significance in the English language because it introduced a new range of communication.

Second Industrial Revolution

1870 BCE

The significance of the Second Industrial Revolution to the English language is its need for new words for new technology.

Late Modern English

1800 BCE

Late Modern English is currently what is spoken among those who speak English. The only difference between Early Modern English and Late Modern English is vocabulary. Example Word: Yeet

The American Revolution

1765 BCE

Publication of Shakespeare

1609 BCE

Shakespeare's first Folio was published.

First English Dictionary Printed

1604 BCE

The first English dictionary was like glue for the English language because words and what they mean are now set in, and they are harder to change.

Early Modern English Begins

1500 BCE

As Early Modern English begins, Middle English comes to an end. Shakespeare wrote his literature in this time. An event called "The Great Vowel Shift" occurs and vowels began to be pronounced shorter as time went on. Example words: Author, Doubt

Printing Press is Invented

1450 BCE

Invented by Johannes Guttenburg, this creation made it easier to print books and newspapers.

French English Battles

1217 BCE

The Naval Battle of Sandwich occurred, and the English conquered the French.

The School of Oxford is Founded

1168 BCE

Middle English Begins

1100 BCE

Middle English was English with some French words added. Chaucer's Canterbury Tales are written in this form of English. Example word: Thou

Norman Invasion

1066 BCE

Creating a linguistic division between the classes, lower class spoke English, higher class spoke French.

Discovery of North America

985 BCE

This was done by a 15-year-old viking named Leif Eriksson Day. He found it after being expelled from Iceland for killing a neighbor.

Beowulf's Writings

900 BCE

Old English begins

450 BCE

Word Examples: Grubbling, Mugwump

Three Germanic Tribes Invade Britain

400 BCE

Englisc is introduced.

The History of the English Language

Period: 400 BCE to 2012