Early History of English

English is part of the West Germanic language family, which originates from the Indo-European
language family. The early history of the English language can be traced back to the Germanic
colonization of what is now England by tribes such as the Saxons, Jutland and Angles in the 5th
and 6th centuries AD.

Initially, Old English was the first form of English to develop. It was influenced by other
Germanic languages brought over by the conquering tribes. During this period, Old English had
much in common with Old German and Old Scandinavian.

However, a significant change in the English language occurred after the invasion of Normandy
in 1066 by William the Conqueror. Norman rule in England brought with it a strong French
influence, and as a result, Old English began to experience a shift towards Middle English.

Middle English developed between the 11th and 15th centuries. During this time, many new
words from French and Latin entered the English vocabulary, while a large number of Old
English words were retained. Important literary works such as the Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey
Chaucer were written in Middle English.

In the 16th century, with the Renaissance, many changes occurred in the English language.
New developments in science, commerce, and British colonial expansion resulted in an influx of
new words from languages such as Latin, Greek, Italian, and Spanish. During this period,
English began to adopt a new structure and vocabulary that was more similar to Modern English.

Modern English, as we know it today, began to develop in the late 15th century and has
continued to evolve today. Modern English is characterized by the global influence of British
colonialism and the influence of the United States as a world power. Developments in
technology, media and communication also play an important role in today's changes in English.