Chapter 2 | Historical Development of English

When did Old English exist?

450 – 1066 AD

What ended Old English?

Norman Conquest (1066)

Who influenced Old English?

Angles, Saxons

Why is Old English important?

Foundation of English

What loanwords were in Old English?

Latin, Scandinavian

What was Old English vocabulary like?

Mostly Germanic; some Latin, Scandinavian

What Old English literature is famous?

Beowulf

What was Old English society like?

Extended families cooperating

What defines Middle English?

French influence after Norman Conquest

Who wrote what major Middle English work?

Chaucer's The Canterbury Tales

How did Black Death impact society?

Labor shortages; social restructuring

What characterized Middle English vocabulary?

Many French loanwords

When did Modern English start?

1700

What was the Great Vowel Shift?

Changed long vowel pronunciations (Early Modern English)

How did the printing press impact English?

Books cheaper/widespread; standardization

Who advanced scientific English?

Francis Bacon

How has tech changed modern English?

More abbreviations, casual language

What dictionaries shaped modern English?

Johnson’s, Oxford English Dictionary

What global word came via colonization?

'Curry' from India