Have you ever wondered how the English language became such a big deal? It’s such a widely learned language that people are making productive careers out of just teaching it. There are thousands of English speakers who search for English teaching positions in non-English countries every year.
But what are the roots of these languages, and where did they begin? Who were the first ones to learn it, and how did it evolve from there? If these questions have ever crossed your mind, you’re in luck today. We’re going to brush up on our history and see how well we know one of the most widely learned languages in the world.
A Quick Brush Up on The History
The English language we speak today has traveled across a millennium. It has a long history of evolution through foreign invasions, cultural shifts, technological transformations, and societal revolutions.
The Birth of English
You can trace the roots of English to times as early as the 5th century AD. We’re talking about the times when three Germanic tribes (the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes) had invaded Britain. They displaced the natives who spoke Celtic and developed their own language — Anglo-Saxon or what we call Old English today.
That version of English included many words from Latin due to the spread of Christianity. Today, we see that as a highly ‘inflected’ version of the language. At the time, English was nothing like it is now. It had so many dialects that don’t even sound close to modern English.
From there, the language got more rich after Viking invasions in the 9th century. That’s when Norse vocabulary was introduced, e.g., egg, sky, give, etc.
The Age of Chivalry and Change
In 1066, Normans took over, and even that marked a turning point in the story of English. Normas became the ruling class, and they spoke a French dialect. That created a split in communication because the upper class spoke French, and the lower class continued talking in English.
However, there were some mutual areas, like offices and government, where the two languages coincided. That’s where French vocabulary also made its way into English communication.
Fast forward to the 14th century, English started becoming a mainstream language. That was the time when stories and literature had also started rising. Geoffrey Chaucer’s The Canterbury Tales was written back then, and it reflects the touches of Anglo-Saxon and Norman French influences.
Beginning of Modern English
Now, let’s talk about the times when things became interesting. More precisely, it was the rise of the language that we recognize today.
English entered this phase somewhere around 1500. It was marked by significant changes in pronunciation, such as the Great Vowel Shift. More Latin and Greek words made it to the vocabulary because education and literacy were being taken seriously. Most importantly, William Caxton had also introduced the idea of “press” already.
We know Shakespeare from that time, as his works played a major role in shaping Modern English. So many words and phrases were added to the literature that we still use in our conversations. As the stories started going out and the colonies started expanding, different accents and dialects took birth.
From Empire to Internet
The English we know and speak today started around the 1800s. Industrialization, technology, modernization, science, and British imperialism brought sudden shifts in the language.
When the British moved to the different corners of the world, they took English with them (of course!). This way, non-English countries also got introduced to the language and started learning it. Even more words from foreign languages, like Sanskrit and Urdu, made it to the vocabulary.
Before we knew it, English became a global language, and it was further propagated by American media. To this day, the language is evolving, and we hear new words being added to the communication. Internet slang, text messages, and Gen-Z terms have become a part of it.
Summing Up
It turns out the English language has not always been this vibrant. It has its own history influenced by invasions, modernization, and technology. It has memories and traces of the times it has been through. Starting from its roots to people looking for ESL Teaching Options in non-English countries, English has definitely come a long way.
If you’re a student who wants to know more about a specific time period, you can find full-fledged books on their impact alone. And if you’re an ESL teacher, you just got an idea of an interesting lesson for your next class.
ESL Teaching Jobs in Asia
Imagine having a career that involves shaping young and living in different parts of the world. If you aspire to live a life like that, dig in and explore ESL teaching options in South Korea. A dynamic world of opportunities awaits your skills and empathetic teaching.
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