History of the English Language

By Rachael Kengle
  • 400

    The Beginning . . .

    When the three Germanic tribes invaded what is now Britain, the English language had developed.
  • Period: 400 to 1100

    Old English Begins . . .

    Examples of words: Stalwart, Woofits, Grufeling
  • 731

    The Venerable Bede

    During this time, The Venerable Bede wrote “The Ecclesiastical History of the English People” in Latin.
  • 871

    Alfred the Great becomes king of Wessex

    Here he encouraged English to be prosed and the Latin words translated.
  • 911

    Beginning of Norman French

    Charles II of France grants Normandy to the Viking chief Hrolf the Ganger, this begins Norman French.
  • 925

    Beowulf

    Beowulf
    This was an Old English Poem written around 925-1025
  • 1066

    Norman Invasion

    Here the Normans invaded England and brought with them the French language. This was incorporated into the English they had and the French was only spoken in the higher classes.
  • Period: 1100 to 1500

    Middle English Begins . . .

    Examples of words: Al be that - Although, Unnethe - Scarcely, Pryme - 9 A.M.
  • 1349

    The Black Death kills one third of Britain

  • 1384

    English translation of the Bible

    John Wycliffe publishes his English translation of “The Bible”
  • 1388

    Chaucer's Canterbury Tales

    Chaucer's Canterbury Tales
    His tales are famous Middle English examples.
  • 1399

    Henry IV ...

    Henry IV becomes first English-speaking monarch since before the Conquest
  • 1476

    Invention of the Printing Press

    Invention of the Printing Press
    William Caxton establishes the first English printing press.
  • 1492

    Discovery of North America

    In 1492, Columbus was credited with discovering the Americas.
  • Period: 1500 to

    Early Modern English Begins . . .

    Examples of words: thou, whiche, fruyte, To be, or not to be

  • The Great Vowel Shift

    This event occurred somewhere between 1400-1700.

  • English Dictionary

    Robert Cawdrey publishes the first English dictionary, “A Table Alphabeticall”

  • King James Version

    The Authorized, or King James Version, of “The Bible” is published

  • Publication of Shakespeare's First Folio

    Publication of Shakespeare's First Folio
    This occurred a few years after William Shakespeare had died in 1816.

  • The American Revolution

    The American Revolution

  • Last of your kind

    Last native speaker of the Celtic Cornish language dies
  • Period: to

    Late Modern English Begins . . .

    Examples of words: ambulance, camouflage, more verbs and adjectives came around this time.

  • Lewis and Clark

    Lewis and Clark
    Lewis and Clark document exploration of routes to American West

  • Webster

    Noah Webster publishes his “The American Dictionary of the English Language”

  • End of Slavery in America

    America ended slavery after the Civil War.

  • The Oxford Dictionary

    The Oxford Dictionary
    Second edition of the “Oxford English Dictionary” is published

  • The End . . .