The+Origins+of+English

= The Origins of English =

How it all began.
English has been around for many, many years, but it does have complicated origins. For those of you who have been wanting to know, English originated from Germany. Ever wonder why some German words are so alike to English?
 * What is English exactly?
 * Proto-English
 * Written Works on the Origins

= = = = = = =__What is English exactly? __= English is a West Germanic Language that is made up of the Anglo-Frisian dialects that were brought to Britain when Germans invaded from present day Germany and the Netherlands. At first, English was just multiple sets of dialects, but the Late West Saxon dialect eventually became the major dialect. When Germany became close with the Scandinavians, the grammatical rules of the English language were simplified greatly. Since the Norman invasion in 1,066, English became literary and many new changes in the language occurred. During the Renaissance, Latin and Ancient Greek replaced Norman and French as the top two sources for new vocabulary causing English to be one of the most borrowing languages with an incredible vocabulary.



=__Proto-English __= Ever since these events, the Germans have risen the English language throughout many parts of Europe. When they fought the Latin-speaking Roman Empire, many Latin words were added to the German language, too, and many of those words have been added to the English Language.



=__Written Works on the Origins __= In 100 AD, an author named Tacitus wrote a book called Germania. It is the most primary source for the culture of the Ancient German people. Taking place before the invasion in Britain, it centers around their relationships with the Roman Empire. They were involved with their economy and the served in their military. Eventually, Germany gained its independence from the Roman Empire. When they subsequently invaded Britain, the groups that arrived there were all free of Roman control. In 449 AD, the __Anglo-Saxon Chronicle __ was written. This piece of writing described the journey of how the Anglo-Saxons gained land in southeast Britain because they helped to repel invading Celts. It also tells about how the settlers built seven kingdoms known as the heptarchy under the influence of the religion of the Proto-Indo-Europeans.



=__<span style="color: #800000; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype','Book Antiqua',Palatino,serif; font-size: 170%;">My Overall Evaluation __= <span style="font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 120%;">I think that the English Language's origins are pretty complicated to summarize, but it is very interesting to learn about. I have learned that there have been many, many changes in the English language from when it started to now. I don't really find it a surprise that it started by the Germans because a lot of the word pronounciations and spelling are similar. Also, I think it is very fascinating that our words come from many different origins. French, Latin, and Greek are some examples of them. I never knew that the Germans tried to invade the British empire before. I also find it interesting that the words wine, cup, and bishop were some of the first English words. Although I have found lots of information, I would like to know why the Germanic invaders created the language and how it was beneficial for them.



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