A Brief History of the English Language

From the native Celts to the British colonizers, the English language has changed
tremendously throughout its evolution. Each section of this learning packet will
concisely explain one of the major historical groups who influenced the language
including examples of the kinds of words English borrowed from them. Most
sections have a corresponding video to bring the information to life. The videos are
very well done and often include examples of how the language sounded at the
time. Enjoy!
The Celts
Who? The Celts were the native inhabitants of Britain. They were oppressed by Roman
soldiers and considered unsophisticated and backwards people.
When? Their history on the British Isles dates back to 500 BCE.
Borrowings from Celtic in the English language
Although they were the native inhabitants, the Celtic influence on the
English language is limited due to their low status in society. Celtic words
include:
River and Place Names
Thames London Dover Avon
The Sophisticated Celts
Watch this excerpt from the documentary "The Ancient Celts" to learn about how the Celts kept
track of the year and why the native people were more sophisticated than the Romans believed.
Occupation and Oppression
The Roman Soldiers
Who? The Roman soldiers raided the British Isles and created the Roman
colony of Brittania.
When? The Roman occupation lasted until 410 CE. As the Roman Empire was
crumbling, the Romans retreated the British Isles leaving the Celts
defenseless against the invading Germanic tribes.
Borrowings from Roman Soldiers
During their occupation, the Roman soldiers contributed many Latin words
including:
Food Words
Pepper Dish
Butter Cheese
Words for Trade
Trade Bushel Pound
Loan Coin
90% of our Common Words
The Anglo-Saxons
Who? The Anglo-Saxons were split into four main tribes: the Angles, Saxons,
Jutes and Frisians. They migrated from what is today northern Germany and
Denmark.
When? The Anglo-Saxons occupied Britain in 449 CE.
Borrowings from Anglo-Saxon
The Anglo-Saxon influence on the English language was tremendous. Around
90% of common words in English come from Anglos-Saxon such as:
Family Words
Son Daughter
Common Verbs
Drink Come Go
Sing Like Love
Prepositions
In On Into By From
Speaking Anglo-Saxon
Watch this video from BBC One to hear the spoken Anglo-Saxon.
Conversion and Correspondance
The Roman Missionaries
Who? The Roman missionaries spread Christianity throughout Britain. They also
contributed the Latin alphabet to the English language which allowed words to be
written with ink and paper instead of carved into wood or stone like the Runic alphabet
of the Anglo-Saxons. This helped in the creation of Christian Bibles which had a
profound influence on the accessibility of the written language. For more information
about how the Bible helped spread English literacy, watch the video under the section
"Bizarre Spelling."
When? The Roman missionaries arrived in 597 CE.
Borrowings from the Roman Missionaries
The Roman missionaries contributed many words such as:
Religious Words
Altar Organ Monk
Alms Pope Stole
Hymn Mass Martyr
Education Words
School Master Verse
Notary Script
Alfred the Great and the Pagan Pirates
The Vikings and the Danes
Who? Sometimes called Pagan Pirates, the Vikings settled in East Anglia and controlled
Northern and Eastern England. They raided churches and villages and burned religious
books. However, they were more than just ransacking barbarians. They were also a
people who loved music and celebrated heroism through the telling of epic poems.
The arrival of the Danes and their language, Old Norse, threatened the English language.
Alfred the Great, one of the most important figures in English history, saved England
and the English language when he established a peace treaty with the Danes during what
is now referred to as the Danelaw period. For more information about Alfred the Great,
watch the video below.
When? The Vikings and Danes arrived around 787 CE.
Borrowings from the Vikings and Danes
The Danes and the English often traded and intermarried which contributed
to a blending of English and Old Norse and simplified English grammar. Old
Norse contributed words such as:
Pronouns
They Them Their
Family Names
The Danes added the suffix son onto the fathers name to create names such as Harrison
or Richardson.
How Alfred the Great Saved the English Language
Watch this excerpt from the documentary series "The Adventure of English" to learn more about
Alfred the Great and the blending of Old Norse and English.




The Upper Class Speaks French
The Normans
Who? The Normans arrived in Britain from France. They brought with them
the language of Old French which became the language of power, relegating
the English language to the lower classes. At this time, any advanced person
in society knew at least some French.
When? The arrival of the Normans marked the period of Middle English around 1066
CE.
Borrowings from the Normans
It is estimated that around 10,000 French words were contributed to the English
language at this time including words such as:
Words for Law and Government
Jail Attorney Court Crime Judge
Prison Tax Verdict Evidence
Words for Nobility
Count Countess Duke Noble Royal
Princess Prince Peasant
Culture and Fashion Words
Fur Jewel Clarinet Dance
Ruby Satin Pendant Painting Music
The Language of the Upper Class
Watch this excerpt from The History Channel documentary The Adventure of English to learn
more about the class system in Britain and the French influence on the English language.
A Rebirth and a Literary Genius
The Renaissance
What? The Renaissance was a time of new inventions, education, travel and cultural
exploration. Shakespeare also wrote his plays at this time.
When? Early Modern English was ushered in with the Renaissance in 1500 CE.
Borrowings from Latin and Greek
Many Latin and Greek words were contributed to English during the Renaissance
including:
Science Words
Abdomen Anatomy Physician Gradual Skeleton Data
Cultural Words
Tragedy History Climax Comedy
Shakespeare's Amazing Vocabulary
Watch this excerpt from the documentary series The Story of English to learn more about
Shakespeares influence on the English language and to hear how Shakespeare's plays would
have sounded during the Renaissance.
New Lands and New Words
Colonial Expansion
Around 1800 CE, Colonial expansion brought new Indian American, African,
and Australian words to the English language. Many of these words were
used because there was no existing word in English to describe what the
colonizers saw and heard in the new colonies.
Borrowings from the Colonies
Nature Words
Moose Opossum Zebra Kangaroo Hickory
Music Words
Jazz Jitterbug Jukebox Digeridoo

Immigration and Evolution
Language Change
Today, immigration patterns and globalization are continually adding new
words to the English language. English speakers often borrow words from
other languages to describe favorite foods. Words such as tortilla,
guacamole, and burrito were adopted from Spanish. Likewise, the words
linguini, espresso, pasta, pizza, ravioli, and spaghetti were adopted from
Italian.
There are also many rule governed dialects such as African American
Vernacular English (AAVE) which have their own grammar rules and are
changing what we come to think of as English.
The English language is not finished evolving. Over the next century, new
vocabulary and grammatical structures will change the language even more.
If there is one language rule, it is that language is always changing. And
that's a good thing!
Bizarre Spelling
Have you ever wondered why English spelling and grammar are so irregular? The answer lies in
the history of English. Watch this video excerpt from the documentary series The Adventure of
English to learn about how the printing press helped to standardize English and how the Bible
promoted literacy across the country.