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When the Germans began settling in Britain they brought their west Germanic languages which is very similar to the modern Frisian language.
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The language for this time period was extremely complex in comparison to our modern day english.
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His arrival signals the beginning of the Anglo-Saxon conversion to Christianity
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The four major dialects of Old English are:
Northumbrian, emerging from North England
Mercian, coming out of the Midlands
West Saxon, stemming from the south and west regions of Britain
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The 7th century brings about England's first great poet, Caedmon, and his writing "Caedmon's Hymn," often considered the oldest surviving literary piece in Old English (Johnson, n.d.).
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It was during this battle that Alfred the Great led the Anglo-Saxon's into victory over the Vikings and began translating Latin works into English. After this victory, he also began to use the English language to help create a sense of national identity.
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Beowulf is the oldest known surviving English manuscript.
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A mixture of the Anglo-Norman language and the English language primarily among the laboring and merchant socio-economic groups.
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Establishment of the second oldest English speaking university, founded by scholars migrating to Cambridge from Oxford.
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Though not initially successful, eventually the Magna Carta laid the foundation for the common law system in England. This document is often viewed as a symbol of freedom from a season of oppression. This document also laid a historical precedent for America's founding fathers in 1776 (History.com editors, 2018).
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The loss of a third of the English population from 1349-1350 due to a pneumatic plague was known as the Black Death. This massive loss resulted in an economic growth in the laboring and merchant social classes of Britain ("A Brief history of the English language", n.d.).
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After complaints that the French language, being spoken in the courts, was not easily understood or translated, this plea was presented in order to require English be the common language spoken in the British court system ("Pleading in English Act 1362", n.d.).
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King Henry was the first king to deliver a speech, at his coronation, in English
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This eight-step process of shifting the way long vowels were being pronounced, had a profound effect on the way reading was taught and the ability to understand the written English language before, during, or after the shift (Menzer, 2000).
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William Caxton's contribution to the early modern English age was bringing the printing press to England. The arrival of this press afforded the people in England easier access to printed literacy and aided in the mass publication of books ("A Brief history of the English language", n.d.)
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Andrew Boorde published his book illustrating regional dialects, frequently viewed as the earliest continental guidebook.
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The very first version of this book is published.
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William Bullokar publishes the first grammar book for the English.
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An English charter company started as a trading company but quickly involved itself in politics and expanded the British influence into China and took the spice trade monopoly away from Spain and Portugal (Editors of Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d.).
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Robert Cawdrey, an educator, published the first English dictionary to help readers better understand the meaning of complex words.
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The publication of the King James Bible has an immediate effect on the development of the written English language.
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The great fire of London destroyed countless public buildings, 90 churches, and 13,000 homes, along with many historic landmarks. This fiery destruction of London created an opportunity to rebuild, new building regulations were instituted, architecture changed, fire brigades were assembled, and the insurance industry was born.
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The first act of legal copyright protection for authors in regards to permission for printing and reprinting their writings.
