The history of the English language began over 1500 years ago in the north of Europe.Around the fifth century A.D.,tribes of people known as the Angels,Saxons,and Jutes traveled west from Germany and Denmark across the North Sea.They settled in Britain,and by the late seventh century,they were speaking an early form the English.
In the late eighth century,the Vikings attacked England.Fighting continued for almost two hundred years.During this time,many Latin,Danish,and Norse words entered the English language.Latin gave English words like kitchen and cup.From Danish and Norse,English borrowed skin,leg,and the pronouns them,their,and they.many synonyms from the Norse language became integrated into English,for example,wrath(English),anger(Norse);sick(English),ill(Norse).
In 1066,the Normans conquered England.French became the language of the wealthy and powerful,and English was spoken mostly by poorer people.In the late fourteenth century,English became the first language again.By this time,many words used in English came from French or Latin,and a lot of the early words no longer existed.
In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries,people became interested in the classics.At this time,words from Latin and Greek were included in the English language.a lot of words,or parts of words,from those languages are used in modern English.
Today,English has loan words from many of the world’s languages.You can probably find a word used in English that first came from your native language. The history of the English language began over 1500 years ago in the north of Europe.Around the fifth century A.D.,tribes of people known as the Angels,Saxons,and Jutes traveled west from Germany and Denmark across the North Sea.They settled in Britain,and by the late seventh century,they were speaking an early form the English.
In the late eighth century,the Vikings attacked England.Fighting continued for almost two hundred years.During this time,many Latin,Danish,and Norse words entered the English language.Latin gave English words like kitchen and cup.From Danish and Norse,English borrowed skin,leg,and the pronouns them,their,and they.many synonyms from the Norse language became integrated into English,for example,wrath(English),anger(Norse);sick(English),ill(Norse).
In 1066,the Normans conquered England.French became the language of the wealthy and powerful,and English was spoken mostly by poorer people.In the late fourteenth century,English became the first language again.By this time,many words used in English came from French or Latin,and a lot of the early words no longer existed.
In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries,people became interested in the classics.At this time,words from Latin and Greek were included in the English language.a lot of words,or parts of words,from those languages are used in modern English.
Today,English has loan words from many of the world’s languages.You can probably find a word used in English that first came from your native language.