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The Normans conquered England, replacing the native English nobility with Anglo-Normans and introducing Norman French as the language of government in England.
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The term middle indicates that the period was a transition between Old English and early Modern English
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Latin continued to exert an important influence on the English vocabulary
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King Henry III issued the first English-language royal proclamation since the Conquest
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English is used in English Parliament for the first time
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John Wycliffe promoted the first complete translation of scripture into the English language (the Wycliffite Bible)
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Geoffrey Chaucer produced a highly influential body of English poetry
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The Chancery office began record keeping in a form of East Midland English, which became the written standard of English
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William Caxton brought printing to England, thus promoting literacy throughout the population
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John Cabot sailed to Nova Scotia, foreshadowing English territorial expansion overseas
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Being the most important in consonant sounds. Middle English became a language with few inflectional distinctions