The Origins of English

Germanic Spreading Over Central Europe (200 B.C.-200 A.D.)

200

Germanic peoples move down from Scandinavia and spread over Central Europe in successive waves.

The rise of English (5th Century A.D)

400

The history of the English language really started with the arrival of three Germanic tribes who invaded Britain during the 5th century AD. These tribes are, the Angles, the Saxons and the Jutes.

First Germanic tribes arrive in England( 410 A.D.)

410

The First Germanic tribe arrived in England during 410 A.D.

Old English (450-1100 AD)

450

The invading Germanic tribes spoke similar languages, which in Britain developed into what we now call Old English. Old English did not sound or look like English today.

Celtic Migrations (1000 B.C.)

Jul 30, 1000

After many migrations, the various branches of Indo-European have become distinct; Celtic people inhabit what is now Spain, France, Germany, Austria, eastern Europe, and the British Isles.

Middle English (1100-1500)

Jun 2, 1100

William the Conqueror, the Duke of Normandy, invaded and conquered England.The Normans brought with them a kind of French.

Early Modern English (1500-1800)

Apr 5, 1500

Towards the end of Middle English, a sudden and distinct change in pronunciation (the Great Vowel Shift) started, with vowels being pronounced shorter and shorter.

Varieties of English (1600-Present)

May 19, 1600

From around 1600, the English colonization of North America resulted in the creation of a distinct American variety of English. In some ways, American English is more like the English of Shakespeare than modern British English is.

Late Modern English (1800-Present)

Jun 21, 1800

The main difference between Early Modern English and Late Modern English is vocabulary. Late Modern English has many more words.