1. The Arrival of the Anglo-Saxons: Around the 5th century AD, Germanic tribes (Angles, Saxons, and Jutes) invaded and settled in Britain, displacing the Celtic-speaking inhabitants. They brought their own language, known as Old English, which became the dominant tongue.
2. The Influence of Old English: Old English, the direct ancestor of modern English, provided the core vocabulary for English, including words like:
* Common nouns: house, bread, water, fire, earth
* Verbs: see, hear, eat, drink, go
* Pronouns: I, you, he, she, it
* Prepositions: on, in, at, by, for
3. The Norman Conquest (1066): The invasion of England by William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy, led to the introduction of Norman French, a Romance language. This dramatically changed English:
* The ruling class, law, and administration adopted French. This led to many French words entering the English language, especially in areas of government, law, and high society.
* Bilingualism became common, with people using both English and French.
4. Middle English (1150-1500): The interaction of Old English and Norman French led to the evolution of Middle English. This period saw:
* Blending of languages: Words from both Old English and Norman French began to be used together.
* New words: English adopted many French words, including:
* Government and Law: court, jury, parliament, attorney
* High Society: noble, duke, baron, elegant
* Food: beef, pork, mutton, dinner
5. Modern English (1500-Present): Over centuries, English continued to evolve, influenced by further contacts with other languages, including Latin and Greek. However, the core foundation of English remains firmly Germanic, thanks to the initial influence of the Anglo-Saxons.
Key Points:
* The Germanic influence on English is fundamental, providing the basic structure and core vocabulary of the language.
* The influence of Norman French enriched English vocabulary and created the complex and nuanced language we know today.
This blend of Germanic and Romance languages makes English a unique and fascinating language.