The English language is a West Germanic language that originated in Britain and expanded to other countries throughout history. This language is a mix of other languages and dialects that evolved in Britain, including Old English, Saxon, and Norman.
It was in the 5th century that there was an invasion of Germanic barbarians, such as the Saxons, Jutes, and Angles, leading to the formation of the English language. These barbarians spoke different Germanic languages, but over time, they began using Old English, which was essentially a blend of these languages. Old English was a vastly different language from modern English, not to mention that it was written in runes.
Old English is known for its grammatical complexity and the use of many words to describe the same thing. For example, there were more than 20 words for “horse” in this language, depending on the context. Additionally, Old English had three genders – masculine, feminine, and neuter – and many complicated verb conjugations.
In 1066, the Normans invaded Britain and established a kingdom on the site. They ruled for many centuries, and their language, Norman French, became a high-class language. As for the common people, they continued to speak Old English, which was no longer known by that name but rather as popular English or the language of the people.
With the strong influence of Norman French, the vernacular English underwent several modifications to resemble French more closely. It was during this period that the neuter gender was lost, as Norman French did not have three genders.
Over the centuries, modern English emerged as a result of the blending of vernacular English and Norman French. It is worth noting that, in addition to this influence, modern English incorporated words from Latin and Greek during the Middle Ages when some European scholars were studying classical languages. Consequently, they began to use these words in their own language.
Despite the significant influence of Norman French, vernacular English continued to be spoken, until many words from Norman French were gradually lost over the centuries. Thus, a simpler language emerged, more reminiscent of Old English. It was then named Middle English and was used in Britain until the 15th century.
