The origins of the English language

The linguistic geography of

Europe

By the beginning of the Christian era, the southern

part of Europe was a Celtic-speaking place

whereas the north was a Germanic speaking place.

Language in BritainCelts, from Central Europe, populated the British Isles. Nowadays, it presents the onlyplace in Europe where Celticheritage (Living languageand living descendants can be found).

•Roman ocupation started

•Latin hardly influences the dialects spoken in Great Britain

48 BC

•Germanic peoples (Anglo Saxons) arrived to Great Britain carrying Germanic dialects

5th century

•Arise of great 4 kingdoms

8th century

.

Language Contact

Trade Military Contactsca

used

caused

Mutual Influence

New words came into dialects. The Germanic peoples adopted wine, beer and cheese from Latin (the Roman Empire)

Latin made little contributions to the language in the Dark Ages yet in the Middle and start of Modern English Periods it played an essential part being the language of scholarship.

Early English dialects

As there was no such thing as a “Standard English” then, the more prominent a kingdom got, the more

prestigious its dialect was

EARLY ENGLISH DIALECTS

Northumbrian

Kentish

West Saxon

Mercian

Early English dialects

Standard language

Kentish

West Saxon Northumbrian

Mercian

The dialects of the old kingdoms formed the standard language

The beginnings of written English

Germanic tribes used runes.

Christianity introduced. Anglo Saxon dialects influenced by Latin

First records of written English tried to represent English sounds with Latin letters

• Origins of written English can be tracked down to the 8th century.

Written English Power of the Churchrepresented

First English texts produced in

Firstly, Northumbria

Second, Mercia

No surviving records

Earliest remaining records of written

English

Church gave Literacy infraestructure

Simultaneous translation Result of

The survival of CelticIn the picture we can see the places where the Anglo Saxons settled in Eastern England.Due to their establishment,Celtic peoples had to emigrateto the ends (Ireland, Wales, Scotland), places where Celtic Roots still exist.

The survival of Celtic

English

Firstly

Northumbria Mercia Wessex

Nowadays

Wales

Threatened by English economic power

As political borders moved, the language spread

The survival of Celtic

Wales

Declared part of England in 1536

Welsh and English declared equals in 1536

and 1543

Translation of the Bible and Prayer Book

Despite its declination due to economic factors, Celtic keeps being spoken