6. English Language Timeline Old English Middle English Mid 400's Germans invade British Isles 900 Beowulf Written 1066 Norman invasion and William the Conqueror Starts 1200 Great Vowel Shift 1300's Geoffrey Chaucer writes Canterbury Tales 1476 William Caxton starts printing, but not using a fixed language Page 80 Language Date Event
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8. English Language Timeline Early Modern English Modern English 1490's Richard Pynson starts using government Lang- uage as a standard in printing. 1590's-1612 Shakespeare writes plays. 1662 Book of Common Prayer printed with wide distribution. 1776 Declaration of Independence written in U.S. Present Mass communication, fixed language, education Page 80 Language Date Event