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 Britain
Celts, from Central Europe,
populated the British Isles.
Nowadays, it presents the only
place in Europe where Celtic
heritage (Living language
and living descendants
can be found).
48 BC
• Roman ocupation started
• Latin hardly influences the dialects spoken in Great Britain
5th century
• Germanic peoples (Anglo Saxons) arrived to Great
Britain carrying Germanic dialects
8th century
• Arise of great 4 kingdoms
.
Trade
caused
Mutual caused
Influence
Military
Contacts
Language
Contact
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
Northumbrian
Mercian
EARLY
ENGLISH
DIALECTS
West
Saxon
Kentish
Early
English
dialects
West Saxon
Northumbrian
Kentish
Mercian
Standard
language
The dialects of the old kingdoms formed the standard language
The beginnings
of written English
First records of written English tried to
represent English sounds with Latin letters
Christianity introduced. Anglo
Saxon dialects influenced by Latin
Germanic tribes used runes.
• Origins of written English can be tracked
down to the 8th century.
Written English
First English texts
produced in
represented
Power of the Church
Firstly, Northumbria
No surviving
records
Second, Mercia
Church gave Literacy
infraestructure
Simultaneous translation
Earliest remaining
records of written
English
Result of
The survival of Celtic
In the picture we can see the places where the Anglo Saxons
settled in Eastern England.
Due to their establishment,
Celtic peoples had to emigrate
to the ends (Ireland, Wales,
Scotland), places where Celtic
Roots still exist.
The survival of Celtic
As political borders moved,
the language spread
English
Firstly
Northumbria
Mercia
Nowadays
Wessex
Wales
Threatened by English
economic power
The survival of Celtic
Declared part of
England in 1536
Despite its
declination due to
economic factors,
Celtic keeps being
spoken
Wales
Translation of
the Bible and
Prayer Book
Welsh and
English declared
equals in 1536
and 1543