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Period: 400 to Jan 1, 1100
Old English
This was the earliest form of English. Example of words include miel (meal), see (sea), and sliepe (sleep). -
597
St. Augustine
St. Augustine arrives in Britain and begins the conversion of Anglo-Saxons into Christianity. -
750
Beowulf
Approximate time period that Beowulf was written. It is one of the first notable English books. -
792
Viking Raids
The viking raids in Britain begin. -
1066
Norman Invasion
Normandy successfully invades and takes control of England. The new rule led to many changes to the English language, primarily influenced by the French language. -
1086
The "Doomsday Book"
The first known copy of the "Doomsday Book" is compiled. -
Period: 1100 to 1500
Middle English
Marked by the Norman conquest, this version of English was greatly influenced by French.This is the first period in which we see the beginning of standard grammar "rules" (brought to us by the French language and adapted to fit the English). Examples of words are siting (sitting), scheep (sheep), strongere (stronger). -
1167
Oxford University Established
Oxford University opens it doors for students; a telltale sign of education becoming more accessible. -
1349
Black Death
The Black Death Plague spreads throughout Europe and kills one third of the people. -
1385
English Bible
John Wycliff publishes his English translation for The Bible. -
1400
The Canterbury Tales
This collection of 24 stories was written by Geoffrey Chaucer and remains arguably the best model for Middle English we have today. -
1440
Invention of Printing Press
The invention of the printing press brought on many positive changes to the English Language by making it standardized. People could now print books and dictionaries which led to the spread of information. -
1492
Discovery of North America
Although the first person to reach North America is very disputed, the official record according to most people is that Christopher Columbus did so in 1492. -
1500
English Rennisance
The beginning of the English Renaissance which led to an abundance of art, discoveries, and ideas being spread. -
Period: 1500 to
Early Modern English
This period of English is differentiated by the "Great Vowel Shift" which is when the way we pronounce vowels changed dramatically. In addition to this, the printing press helped make language more standardized which slowed down the rate at which English changed. Examples of words during this time are runnind (running), goeth (go/goes), and axyd (axed). -
Shakespeare's First Folio
Shakespeare's friends publish a collection of his plays. -
The American Revolution
The colonies begin their fight for independence from Great Britain. -
Period: to
Modern English
Today, English is standardized and taught to people around the world the same way. It is currently the third most popular language spoken in the world; only ousted by Mandarin and Spanish. -
Time Magazine
Time Magazine publishes its first edition. -
Modern Dictionary
Oxford publishes the first edition of its dictionary. -
Urban Dictionary
The "Urban Dictionary" is established, creating the worlds first official guide to slang.
