Here's why:
* The Norman Conquest: William the Conqueror, Duke of Normandy (a region in France), defeated the English king Harold at the Battle of Hastings. This led to the Norman ruling class taking over England.
* French as the language of power: The Norman ruling class spoke Norman French, which was a dialect of Old French. They brought French into government, law, and the court.
* Language influence: As French became the language of power, many French words entered the English language. This particularly affected words related to law, government, education, and culture.
The impact of the Norman Conquest on the English language was significant. It led to a change in the vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation of English, and it shaped the language we speak today.