History of English language Flashcards
When did the Romans leave Britain?
410 AD
When did the Germanic tribes come over to Britain?
450 AD
What Germanic tribes came over to Britain?
Angles, Saxons and the Jutes
When did Christian missionaries impact our language?
591 AD
What language did we borrow from the church?
Latin
When did the Vikings come along?
800 AD
When did William the Conqueror invade the English language with the French language?
1066 AD
What language was used in church?
Latin
What language did most people speak generally during the Norman Conquest?
English
How many new words did we gain from the Normans?
10,000
The invasion of the Normans ended when the English language took their war lingo like ‘armies’, ‘navy’, and ‘soldiers’ and began what against France?
100 year war (116 years)
Which language took over as the language of power after the Norman invasion ended?
English
How many new words did Shakespeare invent?
2000
What time period was Shakespeare active?
1564-1616
What are some idioms that Shakespeare gave us?
Dead as a door nail, good riddance, breaking the ice
When was there a new translation of the Bible?
1611
What was significant about the new translated Bible?
It was the first major text translated into English and helped to standardise the language. It was therefore also clearer and more accessible to users.
In what century did scientists become recognised?
After the 17th century
What language did scientists initially converse in?
Latin
When did the English language take on languages from other countries across the world?
1583-1914
What effect did the English language taking on other language from other countries across the world have?
Left new forms of English varieties to develop across the globe
What do we call people who work on dictionaries?
Lexicographers
How long did it take to write the first dictionary?
9 years
When did Dr Samuel Johnson finish his dictionary?
1755