History of the English Language

By bridget.terry27
  • Period: 400 to

    Timespan

  • 450

    Start of the Old English Era

    Eald is a word from the Old English Era. In modern English it would mean old.
  • Jan 1, 700

    Earliest manuscript records of Old Englsih

  • Jan 1, 1000

    Suspected Date of Beowulf's Writing

  • Jan 1, 1066

    The Norman Invasion

  • Jan 1, 1100

    Start fo the Middle English Era

    Sample text from the Middle Englsih Era:
    man com & se how schal alle ded li: wen yolk comes bad & bare
    moth have ben ve awaẏ fare: All ẏs wermēs yt ve for care:—
    bot yt ve do for god ẏs luf ve haue nothyng yare:
    yis graue lẏs John ye smẏth god yif his soule hewn grit Modern English translation:
    Man, come and see how all dead men shall lie: when that comes bad and bare,
    we have nothing when we away fare: all that we care for is worms:—
    except for that which we do for God's sake, we have nothi
  • Jan 1, 1100

    The Danish Attack England

  • Jan 1, 1209

    The University of Cambridge is formed

  • Jan 1, 1362

    The Statue of Pleading makes English the official language of England

  • Jan 1, 1387

    Chaucer's Canterbury Tales

  • Jan 1, 1399

    King Henry IV becomes the first English monarch to deliver a speech in English.

  • The Invention of the Printing Press
    Jan 1, 1439

    The Invention of the Printing Press

  • Jan 1, 1492

    The Discovery of the Americas

  • Jan 1, 1500

    Start of the Early Modern English Era

    In the Early Modern English era, the second person singular was marked in both the present and past tenses with -st or -est. For example, in the past tense, walkedst or gav'st.

  • "Weekly News", the first English newspaper, is published in England

  • Publication of Shakesphere's First Folio

    Publication of Shakesphere's First Folio

  • The Great London Fire

    The Great London Fire

  • The American Revolution

    The American Revolution

  • Start of the Late Modern English Era

  • Text messaging is introduced

    Text messaging is introduced

  • Scandinavians begin to settle in Britain and Ireland

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