Here's a breakdown:
* Old English (roughly 450-1150 AD) was spoken by the Anglo-Saxons, and its vocabulary and grammar were largely Germanic.
* Middle English (roughly 1150-1500 AD) emerged after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Norman French-speaking ruling class brought with them their language, which heavily influenced the English language.
This influence is evident in various ways:
* Vocabulary: Middle English adopted many French words, particularly in areas like law, government, religion, and literature. Examples include words like "justice," "parliament," "religion," and "literature" themselves.
* Grammar: While Old English had a more complex grammatical system with cases and genders, Middle English simplified its grammar, influenced by French, which was a more analytical language.
* Pronunciation: The pronunciation of English words also shifted significantly during this period, partly due to the influence of French sounds.
This blend of Germanic and French elements created the language we know today as Middle English, the language of Chaucer and Shakespeare. While it's not as drastically different from Old English as modern English, it's a distinct language with its own unique characteristics.