Origin and Diffusion of English Language

  • Norman Invasion
    Jan 19, 1066

    Norman Invasion

    Modern English has evolved from the Angles, Jutes, and Saxons, when they migrated to England 1500 years ago. The language began to evolve independently as the different groups dispersed throughout the land. English became different from then on when the Vikings from Norway invaded and conquered in 1066.
  • Period: Jan 19, 1066 to

    Origin and Diffusion of English Language

  • Conflict with France
    Jan 19, 1204

    Conflict with France

    England lost control of France and as a result most people stopped speaking the French language.
  • Statute of Pleading
    Jan 19, 1362

    Statute of Pleading

    Recognizing Englands current problems with France, Parliament passed the Statute of Pleading in 1362 to change the official language of court business from French to English. The German and French languages of the land began to mingle.
  • Diffusion of Dialect
    Jan 19, 1476

    Diffusion of Dialect

    The English language dialect spoken in London and the universities was encouraged to diffuse by the introduction of the printing press to England in 1476.
  • Colonists

    Colonists

    The English language was brought to North America when the colonists settled on the Atlantic Coast. They established 17th century English as the dominant form of speech in colonial America. The early settlers of America are responsible for the language patterns that are dominant in the Western Hemisphere today.
  • California Gold Rush

    California Gold Rush

    The west was opened up as people migrated there for gold by attracting people from all over. This mobility was a main reason for the uniform language established in the west.
  • The Philippines

    The Philippines

    When Spain ceded the Philippines to the U.S. in 1899 after losing the Spanish-American war, the English language began to diffuse there which also led to diffusion in other areas from there on.
  • Independence of Philippines

    Independence of Philippines

    The Philippines gained full independence and made the English language the official language of the country.