The development of the English language can be broken down into four main stages: Old English (500-1066), Middle English (1066-1470), Early Modern English (1470-1650), and Modern English (1650-present). Old English was influenced by Old Norse and Celtic languages and had complex case systems. An important text from this period was the epic poem Beowulf. Middle English emerged after the Norman conquest and saw Latin, French and English used in different domains. Chaucer's Canterbury Tales was a seminal work from this time. Early Modern English saw the advent of printing and the language became more recognizable to modern readers. Shakespeare was a renowned playwright and poet during this stage who popular

1. THE DEVELOPMENT OFTHE DEVELOPMENT OF
THE ENGLISH LANGUAGETHE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

2. STAGES OF DEVELOPMENTSTAGES OF DEVELOPMENT
• Old English ( 500-1066)Old English ( 500-1066)
• Middle English (1066-1470)Middle English (1066-1470)
• Early Modern English (1470-1650)Early Modern English (1470-1650)
• Modern English (1650 - )Modern English (1650 - )

3. OLD ENGLISH (500-1066)OLD ENGLISH (500-1066)
• A West-Germanic languageA West-Germanic language
• Called Englisc by those who spoke it,Called Englisc by those who spoke it,
namely the Angles, Angelcynn ornamely the Angles, Angelcynn or
Angelfolc.Angelfolc.
• They called their country Englaland.They called their country Englaland.

4. Old English was split intoOld English was split into
four different dialects:four different dialects:
• West SaxonWest Saxon
• MercianMercian
• NorthumbrianNorthumbrian
• KentishKentish

5. The Old English languageThe Old English language
was influenced by otherwas influenced by other
languages:languages:
• Old Norse (the Vikings)Old Norse (the Vikings)
– Get, leg, root, sky, sameGet, leg, root, sky, same
• CelticCeltic
– Names like ”Avon”, ”Thames”Names like ”Avon”, ”Thames”

6. CasesCases
Old English hadOld English had fivefive casescases
(compared to only four in Old Norse):(compared to only four in Old Norse):
• nominativenominative
• accusativeaccusative
• dativdativ
• genitivegenitive
• instrumentalinstrumental
Remnants of these cases are to be found only in a fewRemnants of these cases are to be found only in a few
pronouns in modern English.pronouns in modern English.

7. BEOWULFBEOWULF
• The most famousThe most famous
written text in Oldwritten text in Old
English is the epicEnglish is the epic
poem Beowulf.poem Beowulf.
• It is a mixture ofIt is a mixture of
facts and fictionfacts and fiction
from the time whenfrom the time when
the Anglo-Saxonsthe Anglo-Saxons
began migrating andbegan migrating and
settling in presentsettling in present
day England.day England.
• Is by manyIs by many
considered to beconsidered to be
England’s nationalEngland’s national
epic.epic.

8. OUR FATHEROUR FATHER
Fæder ure, ðu ðe eart onFæder ure, ðu ðe eart on
heofenum, si ðin namaheofenum, si ðin nama
gehalgod; to-becume ðin rice;gehalgod; to-becume ðin rice;
geweorþe ðin willa on eorðangeweorþe ðin willa on eorðan
swa swa on heofenum. Urneswa swa on heofenum. Urne
ge dæghwamlican hlaf syle usge dæghwamlican hlaf syle us
to-deag, and forgyf us ureto-deag, and forgyf us ure
gyltas swa swa we forgifaþgyltas swa swa we forgifaþ
urum gyltendum, ane neurum gyltendum, ane ne
gelæde ðu us on costnunge,gelæde ðu us on costnunge,
ac alys us of yfle. Amen.ac alys us of yfle. Amen.
http://www.georgetown.edu/faculty/ballc/oe/paternoster-oe.htmlhttp://www.georgetown.edu/faculty/ballc/oe/paternoster-oe.html
Our Father, Who art in heaven,Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.Thy Kingdom come.
Thy Will be done, on earth as itThy Will be done, on earth as it
is in Heaven. Give us this day ouris in Heaven. Give us this day our
daily bread.daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those whoas we forgive those who
trespass against us.trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amenbut deliver us from evil. Amen..

9. MIDDLE ENGLISH (1066-1470)MIDDLE ENGLISH (1066-1470)
• The spoken language of the majority ofThe spoken language of the majority of
the people.the people.
• Latin was the language of the Church.Latin was the language of the Church.
– Angel, mass, pope, priestAngel, mass, pope, priest
• French was the language of courtly life,French was the language of courtly life,
literature and documentation.literature and documentation.
– Culture, theatre, economy, parliamentCulture, theatre, economy, parliament

10. GEOFFREY CHAUCER (1343-GEOFFREY CHAUCER (1343-
1400)1400)
The Canterbury Tales:The Canterbury Tales:
• A collection of stories ”A collection of stories ”told”told” by aby a
collection of pilgrims on acollection of pilgrims on a
pilgrimage from Southwark topilgrimage from Southwark to
Canterbury to visit the shrine ofCanterbury to visit the shrine of
Saint Thomas Becket atSaint Thomas Becket at
Canterbury Cathedral.Canterbury Cathedral.
• The tales are considered to beThe tales are considered to be
one of the most influentialone of the most influential
works in Western literature.works in Western literature.
• The Wife of Bath’s Tale:The Wife of Bath’s Tale:
http://classiclit.about.com/librahttp://classiclit.about.com/libra
ry/bl-etexts/gchaucer/bl-ry/bl-etexts/gchaucer/bl-
gchau-can-bath.htmgchau-can-bath.htm

11. EARLY MODERN ENGLISHEARLY MODERN ENGLISH
(1470-1650)(1470-1650)
• 1470: The printing press was invented;1470: The printing press was invented;
more books were produced and peoplemore books were produced and people
had more access to books.had more access to books.
• The language was much like the EnglishThe language was much like the English
that we know today, but there are somethat we know today, but there are some
differences in spelling and grammar.differences in spelling and grammar.

12. WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1565-WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (1565-
1616)1616)
Here you are to findHere you are to find
your own facts aboutyour own facts about
”the Bard”. Use the”the Bard”. Use the
Internet or otherInternet or other
resources available.resources available.

13. Shakespeare’s Sonnet no.18Shakespeare’s Sonnet no.18
Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s DayShall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day
Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?
Thou art more lovely and more temperate.Thou art more lovely and more temperate.
Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May,
And summer's lease hath all too short a date.And summer's lease hath all too short a date.
Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines,
And often is his gold complexion dimmed;And often is his gold complexion dimmed;
And every fair from fair sometime declines,And every fair from fair sometime declines,
By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed.By chance, or nature's changing course untrimmed.
But thy eternal summer shall not fadeBut thy eternal summer shall not fade
Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st;Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st;
Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade,Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade,
When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st,When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st,
So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long as men can breathe or eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.