English began as a group of Germanic dialects brought to Britain in the fifth century. Its later history is a story of invasions, trade and movement.
Old English (about 450–1100)
Angles, Saxons and Jutes crossed the North Sea and settled in Britain. Their dialects became Old English, the language of "Beowulf". It looked and sounded very different from English today.
Old English is a foreign language to modern readers.
The Norman invasion (1066)
Norman French became the language of law and government for centuries. English stayed the language of ordinary people, and it borrowed thousands of French words.
English kept its grammar and took French vocabulary.
Middle English (about 1100–1500)
By Chaucer's time, English had returned to the court and the page. Its endings had simplified, and French words filled the gaps.
Early Modern English (about 1500–1700)
The printing press, the Reformation, Shakespeare and the King James Bible spread a more unified written English. The Great Vowel Shift changed how long vowels sounded.
Modern English
Empire, science, industry and the internet carried English around the world. Each place changed it a little, which is why there are so many varieties today.
Words to remember
- dialect — a variety of a language
- invasion — entering a country by force
- borrow — to take a word from another language
- variety — a form or type
Questions & answers
Q: Is English a Romance language?
No, it is Germanic by origin, though more than half its vocabulary comes from French and Latin.
Q: When did English become "English"?
The name comes from the Angles. Old English is usually dated from about the fifth century.
Q: Why did English borrow so many words?
Invasions, trade, science and empire brought new things and new words.
Q: Did English come from Latin?
No. It shares an older ancestor with Latin, but it is not descended from it.
Q: Is Old English understandable today?
Only with study. Its grammar and vocabulary are very different from modern English.