The History of the English Language

  • Period: 450 to 1100

    Old English

    The Invading Germanic tribes spoke a language similar to what is now known now known as Old English in Britain. Old English was used until around 1100 AD
  • Period: 1066 to 1066

    Duke of Normandy conquered New England

    In 1066 William the Conqueror, the Duke of
    Normandy, invaded and conquered England.
  • Period: 1100 to 1500

    Middle English

    In 1066 William the Conqueror, the Duke of
    Normandy, invaded and conquered England. Which brought French with them where the High Class people used while the lower class spoke English which then became the most dominant language at the time but they added French words to the language which made it now known as Middle English.
  • Period: 1440 to 1440

    Printing Press has been invented & helped lay down a foundation

  • Period: 1500 to

    Early Modern English

    Towards the end of Middle English, a sudden and distinct change in pronunciation which was also known as the Great Vowel Shift. With vowels becoming pronounced shorter and shorter. Also they came in contact with different parts of the world which ended up adding more words to the language hence Early Modern English. Also the first English dictionary was published in 1604.
  • Period: to

    The First English Dictionary was published

  • Period: to

    Late Modern English

    The Late Modern English is like more of an updated of the Early Modern English since it had to create more words from the Industrial Revolution & Technology. But also because British Empire was huge and adopted words from different foreign countries.