Discover the History of English

Summary

In this engVid lesson, Gill explores the evolution of the English language, tracing its development from 55 BC to the present day. The video covers the significant influences of Latin, Germanic, French, and Greek on English vocabulary, highlighting how historical events like the Roman invasion, Germanic migration, and the Norman Conquest have shaped the language. Gill also touches on more recent influences, such as exploration, colonialism, and technology, emphasizing that English continues to evolve with global interactions.

Takeaways

• 😀 The English language has evolved significantly over hundreds of years, influenced by various historical events and migrations.
• 🏰 In 55 BC, the Roman invasion of Britain introduced Latin, which has contributed to 29% of English vocabulary.
• 📚 Latin's influence on English is evident in words like 'human', 'animal', 'dental', 'decimal', 'digital', 'factory', 'library', 'manual', 'lunar', 'solar', 'military', and 'science'.
• 🏛️ The Germanic migration in the 5th century brought Old English, contributing to 26% of today's English words, including common terms like 'above', 'again', 'and', 'apple', 'bad', 'good', 'cake', 'eat', 'drink', 'eye', 'feet', 'arm', 'boy', 'girl', 'house', 'hand', and 'bread'.
• 🔄 The 6th century saw the introduction of Christianity, which brought more Latin, Greek, and Hebrew into the English language.
• 🌐 Greek has a smaller but significant influence, accounting for 6% of English words, often found in academic and scientific terms like 'academic', 'android', 'basic', 'cinema', 'climate', 'democracy', 'economy', 'geography', 'history', 'idea', 'politics', and 'technology'.
• 💂 The Viking invasions from the 8th to the 11th century added more Germanic languages, further enriching the English lexicon.
• 🏰 The Norman invasion in 1066 brought French into English, which has contributed to a significant portion of the language, especially in legal and culinary terms.
• 🌍 Post-1066, English continued to evolve with exploration and colonialism, incorporating words from Asia, the Middle East, and the Far East, such as 'balcony', 'bangle', 'bungalow', 'guru', 'kiosk', 'pajamas', 'sandals', and 'shampoo'.
• 🌐 The 20th and 21st centuries have seen further development of English with the influence of technology and the internet, where brand names like 'Hoover' and 'Google' have become verbs.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video by Gill from engVid?

The main focus of the video is the historical development of the English language, exploring how it has evolved over hundreds of years through various historical events and influences.

Why did the English language change after the Roman invasion of Britain in 55 BC?

The English language changed after the Roman invasion because the Romans brought their Latin language with them, which influenced the local language and led to the integration of Latin words into the English language.

What percentage of English words are estimated to have a Latin origin?

Approximately 29% of the words in the English language are estimated to have a Latin origin.

How did the Germanic migration in the 5th century impact the English language?

The Germanic migration led to the introduction of Anglo-Saxon, or Old English, which merged with the existing English to form a significant part of the language, contributing to about 26% of English words today.

What role did the spread of Christianity play in the development of the English language?

The spread of Christianity in the 6th century brought additional Latin, Greek, and Hebrew influences to the English language, as religious texts and scholarly works were translated and adapted.

Which historical event is marked by the year 1066 in the context of the English language?

The year 1066 marks the Norman invasion, which introduced French and further Latin influences into the English language, as the Normans were of French origin.

What is the estimated percentage of Germanic words in the English language today?

Germanic words make up approximately 26% of the English language, reflecting the impact of the Germanic migrations and the Viking invasions.

How did the exploration and colonialism influence the English language in more recent centuries?

Exploration and colonialism introduced new words into English, often related to discovered goods and places, such as 'tobacco' and 'potato' from the Americas, and 'balcony', 'bungalow', and 'shampoo' from Asian and Middle Eastern regions.

What is the significance of the word 'Android' in relation to the Greek language?

The word 'Android' is derived from the Greek word 'androgynos', meaning 'male and female', reflecting the academic and technological influence of Greek on the English language.

How has modern technology, such as the internet, contributed to the ongoing development of the English language?

Modern technology, including the internet, has led to the adoption of new words and the transformation of brand names into verbs, such as 'to Google', indicating the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of the English language.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Introduction to the History of the English Language

Gill from engVid introduces a lesson on the historical development of the English language, explaining that it has evolved over centuries and been influenced by various historical events. The lesson aims to explore the timeline of these changes, starting from 55 BC with the Roman invasion of Britain, which brought Latin to the region. Gill mentions that Latin, though considered a dead language today, has significantly influenced many modern languages, including English. The lesson will cover how these historical events have shaped the English language into what it is today.

05:05

🌐 The Influence of Latin on English

This paragraph delves into the impact of Latin on the English language, highlighting that 29% of English words have Latin origins. Gill discusses how the Roman Empire's expansion into Britain led to the integration of Latin words into the local language. Examples of everyday English words with Latin roots are provided, such as 'human', 'animal', 'dental', 'decimal', 'digital', 'factory', 'library', 'manual', 'lunar', 'solar', 'military', and 'science'. The lesson emphasizes the enduring influence of Latin on English, even though the Roman occupation was centuries ago.

10:10

🏰 The Germanic Migration and Old English

The paragraph discusses the Germanic migration in the 5th century, where people from what is now Germany moved to Britain, bringing their language that merged with the existing English to form Anglo-Saxon or Old English. This migration significantly influenced the English language, contributing to 26% of its current vocabulary. Examples of Germanic words in modern English include 'above', 'again', 'and', 'apple', 'bad', 'good', 'cake', 'eat', 'drink', 'eye', 'feet', 'arm', 'boy', and 'girl'. Gill uses the analogy of a cooking pot with different ingredients to describe how the language evolved over time.

15:16

⚔️ The Viking Invasions and Further Germanic Influence

This section covers the Viking invasions from the 8th to the 11th centuries, which introduced more Scandinavian languages into English, adding to the already substantial Germanic influence. The paragraph mentions that Old Norse is one of the languages that contributed to the 26% Germanic component of English words. The lesson also touches on the Norman invasion of 1066, which brought French and additional Latin influences into the language, marking a significant shift in the development of English.

20:20

🏛️ The Norman Conquest and the Integration of French

The paragraph focuses on the Norman invasion of 1066, which led to the incorporation of French into the English language. The Normans, being French, introduced many French words that are still used today, particularly in the realm of food and law. Examples include 'beef', 'pork', 'veal', 'continue', 'liberty', 'justice', 'journey', 'people', and 'very'. The lesson illustrates how the French language, which itself evolved from Latin, became intertwined with English, enriching its vocabulary and legal terminology.

🌟 The Ongoing Evolution of English

The final paragraph discusses the continuous evolution of the English language beyond the 11th century. It mentions the 15th and 16th centuries' explorations that brought new words like 'tobacco' and 'potato' into English. The paragraph also covers the impact of colonialism and the British Empire on the language, introducing words like 'balcony', 'bangle', 'bungalow', 'guru', 'kiosk', 'pajamas', 'sandals', and 'shampoo'. The lesson concludes with the influence of technology and the internet, where brand names like 'Hoover' and 'Google' have become verbs, demonstrating the dynamic nature of the English language.

📈 Conclusion and Invitation to Learn More

Gill concludes the lesson by emphasizing the fascinating nature of the English language and its rich history. She invites viewers to take a quiz on the engVid website to test their knowledge and encourages them to return for more lessons. The paragraph serves as a wrap-up, summarizing the key points of the lesson and providing a call to action for further learning.

Keywords

💡Roman invasion

The Roman invasion refers to the historical event in 55 BC when the Roman Empire, led by Julius Caesar, invaded Britain. This event is significant in the development of the English language as it brought Latin to the region, influencing the language spoken by the locals. In the script, the Roman invasion is highlighted as the first major historical event that contributed to the English language's evolution, with Latin roots found in many English words today, such as 'human', 'animal', and 'library'.

💡Latin

Latin is identified as a dead language that was once the language of the Roman Empire and has significantly influenced many modern languages, including English. The script explains that Latin words were introduced to Britain during the Roman invasion and have since become integrated into the English language, making up approximately 29% of its vocabulary. Examples from the script include 'decimal', 'digital', and 'military', which have Latin origins.

💡Germanic migration

Germanic migration is mentioned in the context of the 5th century when people from what is now Germany moved to Britain, bringing their language with them. This migration led to the formation of Anglo-Saxon or Old English, which is a significant precursor to modern English. The script points out that Germanic languages contribute to about 26% of English words today, with everyday words like 'apple', 'eye', and 'house' having Germanic roots.

💡Old English

Old English, also known as Anglo-Saxon, is described as the language that emerged from the fusion of the native English language with the Germanic languages brought by the Saxons. This period marked a significant change in the English language, with many basic words and phrases entering the language. The script provides examples such as 'and', 'again', and 'bad', which are all derived from Old English.

💡Christianity

The spread of Christianity in the 6th century is noted for its impact on the English language through the introduction of Latin and Greek, as religious texts and scholarly works were translated into these languages. The script mentions that Latin had a recurring influence, while Greek contributed academic and scholarly terms like 'academic', 'democracy', and 'geography', making up about 6% of English words.

💡Viking invasions

The Viking invasions, occurring from the 8th to the 11th century, involved people from Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Denmark) who invaded Britain and brought their Old Norse language. This event added further Germanic influence to the English language. The script does not provide specific examples of Old Norse words in English but emphasizes the continuous influx of Germanic languages.

💡Norman invasion

The Norman invasion of 1066 is a pivotal moment in English history, as it introduced French into the language for the first time. The Normans, who were French, conquered England and brought with them their language and culture. This event is significant as it led to a substantial French influence on English, contributing to words related to law, food, and daily life, such as 'beef', 'continue', and 'liberty'.

💡Empire and colonialism

The British Empire and colonialism are mentioned as periods that further diversified the English language by incorporating words from the colonies and regions under British influence. The script gives examples of words like 'balcony', 'bungalow', and 'shampoo', which entered the language from Asian and Middle Eastern languages due to trade and colonial ties.

💡Globalization and technology

Globalization and technology are highlighted as contemporary forces that continue to shape the English language. The script notes that with increased travel and the internet, English absorbs words from various cultures and technological advancements. Examples include 'hoover', which became a verb from a brand name, and 'Google', which has turned into a verb meaning to search online.

💡Pie chart

The pie chart is used in the script as a visual tool to represent the percentage of English words derived from different language sources. It helps to illustrate the proportion of Latin, Germanic, Greek, and other influences in the language, providing a clear and concise way to understand the statistical distribution of these linguistic contributions.

Highlights

The English language has evolved over hundreds of years due to various historical events.

Today, hundreds of millions of people speak English worldwide, whether as a first, second language, or as a foreign language.

The English language we know today did not exist hundreds of years ago and was gradually formed by different historical events.

In 55 BC, the Roman invasion of Britain brought the Latin language, which influenced English significantly.

Latin, now a dead language, has influenced many languages, especially in Southern Europe.

29% of English words have a Latin origin, including everyday words like 'human', 'animal', and 'factory'.

The 5th century Germanic migration from areas roughly corresponding to modern Germany brought the Anglo-Saxon language.

Germanic languages, including Old English, Middle English, Old Norse, and Dutch, contribute to 26% of English words.

Many common English words, such as 'above', 'again', and 'apple', have Germanic roots.

In the 6th century, Saint Augustine's mission to convert Britain to Christianity brought Latin, Greek, and Hebrew influences.

Greek has a smaller influence on English, contributing about 6%, with words often used in academic contexts.

Hebrew's influence on English is minimal and often included under other influences.

The Viking invasions from the 8th to the 11th century added more Germanic languages to English.

The Norman invasion in 1066 introduced French and more Latin to the English language.

French has significantly influenced English, especially in areas like food, law, and general vocabulary.

Exploration and colonialism from the 15th to 19th centuries brought new words from around the world into English.

The British Empire and the Commonwealth have contributed Asian and Middle Eastern words to English.

The 20th and 21st centuries have seen the influence of technology and the internet on the English language.

Names of products like Hoover and Google have become verbs, illustrating the ongoing evolution of English.

The English language continues to develop with ease of travel and global communication.

Transcripts

Hello. I'm Gill from engVid,

and today... As you know, I usually teach an aspect of the English language,

but today, we're going to be looking at the English language from

a different perspective, a different angle, and looking at the history of the language

and how it has developed, because the English language hasn't always been the way it is today.

It's developed over hundreds and hundreds of years.

Now, today, hundreds of millions of people speak English all over the world, whether

it's their first language or their second language, or just one of the foreign languages

that they speak and learn at school, and so on. So, hundreds of millions of people speak

English and learn English. But hundreds of years ago, the English language that we know

today didn't really exist. It sort of got put together gradually by different historical

events. So we're going to go back in history now, and have a look at a timeline.

I don't know if you've seen a timeline before, but it is literally the time, the years going

from left to right, like you get on a graph if you've done graphs, and the time goes across

along the line. So the different developments that happened can be shown on that line. So

we're starting here in 55 BC, hundreds of years ago, and we're coming up to... Well, beyond.

We have 1066, here, but because I ran out of space on the board, the time went

on for such a long time, I couldn't get all the centuries in, but I will still tell you

about them. Okay. But these are the very interesting parts, which are on the board.

So, 55 BC, the Roman invasion of Britain, of the U.K., where we are at the moment.

So, you've heard of the Roman Empire with Julius Caesar and all the other Caesars, the Roman

Empire that spread in different directions, and Britain is one of the directions they

spread in. They came here, and stayed for a while, and built some nice buildings, and

they built a wall that goes across between Scotland and England, called Hadrian's Wall,

because the Emperor at the time was called Hadrian. So, anyway, when they came and stayed

for some time, they brought their language with them, the Latin language. Okay? And the

Latin language, it's called a dead language today, but it has influenced so many other

languages, especially in Southern Europe,

so languages like Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, they all come from Latin.

So, in this country, in the English language,

we have had the Latin influence at different times. So, the Romans brought their Latin

language with them. Okay? So that influenced the way people were speaking to each other

as time went on. And the natives of this country started learning Latin words, and it became

integrated into the language.

Okay, so let's have a look at some of the words that we use today that were influenced

or that came from Latin words. Right? And we have this pie chart, here, which you may

know if you've been studying things for IELTS and the writing task. A pie chart... So, the

whole circle represents 100%. So if you're thinking of all the words in the English language

at the moment, Latin, the Latin words that came from... Partly from the Roman invasion,

we have 29% of the words in the English language have come from a Latin origin, from a source,

Latin source. Okay. So here are just a few of very words that we use every day, really.

Words like: "human", "animal", "dental" to do with the teeth, "decimal" which is to do

with the fingers because we have 10 fingers, "decimal", and "digital", also fingers, "factory"

where things are made, manufacture, "library" where you read books, "libre" meaning book,

"library", the building where the books are kept, "manual" to do with if you do things

with your hand it comes from the Latin word for "hand", "manual". "Lunar" to do with the

moon, because the Latin word for the moon was "luna", "luna".

And "solar" to do with the sun, again, because the Latin word was like that, "solar".

"Military", anything to do with soldiers because the Latin

Roman Empire soldiers were... That was the word that was

used for "soldiers". "Melees" I think. And we also get our "mile", the distance, the

mile from that, because that was the distance that they would march, I think, before they

had a rest or something like that. So "military" is to do with soldiers. "Science" to do with

knowledge. "Science", and "station", the railway station, the bus station is a place where

you stand still before you move off, and that also comes from a Latin word to be static

in one place. Okay. Okay, so that's the Latin. You'll notice also that later on in history,

Latin kept coming back, so there and there, but that's the Latin from these three points

in history when we had visitors of one sort or another.

Okay, so let's move on then, the next major event. I've put 450 AD, but I'm going to start

putting century numbers now, because it's simpler. So, 5th... The 5th century, okay,

Germanic migration. That's people from roughly where Germany is today in the mainland Europe

moved across. Okay? From the Saxon, Saxon area of Germany. Saxony. So, the language

they brought with them was a kind of... Well, it became Anglo-Saxon, because it got merged

with the English we already had, the Anglo part, with the Saxon part added. It... And

that's another name for that is Old English, Old English, which looks totally different

from the English we have today. So they brought a different language with them, and that got

all mixed in. If you think of a big cooking pot and different ingredients being put in,

and it just keeps cooking and cooking over time, that's how it was developing. Okay.

So, Germanic. Let's have a look at how much Germanic language there is in English today.

So, looking at our pie chart again, we've got Germanic 26%, so just over a quarter of

the words in the English language today come from a Germanic source. And I've put some

little abbreviations here; Old English, Middle English, Old Norse, and Dutch.

These are all roughly sort of from the Germanic area,

and the Dutch words as well are all mixed in there, too,

because Holland isn't that far away either.

Okay. So, let's just see a few examples of

the Germanic words. They're often quite short words and words we use every day, like "above",

"again", "and", "apple", "bad" and "good",

"cake", "eat" and "drink",

parts of the body especially, "eye" and "feet" and "arm", "boy" and "girl",

these are all the Germanic type of words.

"House", "hand", "bread", so parts of the body. "Food", all of that kind of thing.

Okay, so that's that one.

So moving on, in the 6th century, before this, we had been what you call a Pagan country,

sort of pre-Christianity. In the 6th century, Saint Augustine came and started converting

people to Christianity. Okay. And that meant bringing languages with him, like the Bible

that was written in these different languages, other books, books of learning. So, again,

Latin came in. And Greek as well came in, and Hebrew all came with the Christianity,

which spread around the whole country. So we've covered Latin already. Let's just have

a look at Greek in our pie chart to see how much influence that has had on the language

today. So looking at Greek, it's actually quite small, just 6%.

But they're very sort of... They're kind of words that are used in a sort of academic life,

and the word "academic" itself is one of them; "academic" is a Greek word.

And "Android", if you have an Android

mobile phone, you wouldn't believe that it had come from an old Greek word, but it has.

"Android". Okay? A word like "basic", "cinema" even, "climate", "democracy", "economy", "geography",

"history", "idea" because philosophy, thinking, ideas is very important

and had a big... Greece had a big influence on that.

"Politics" and "technology" all come from Greek.

Okay, Hebrew, we don't have unless it's included under other one of the other influences which

is another 6%.

Okay, so moving on to a period when we had some more invasions and it wasn't

the Romans this time, it was people called the Vikings who came from Scandinavian countries,

so that's Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and they came across the sea and invaded. And it wasn't

just one invasion; it happened over three centuries, from the 8th to the 11th century.

So the Viking invasions, and they brought their Scandinavian languages with them.

And Old Norse is one of them. And as I said earlier, from this Germanic migration, this was another

sort of input into the Germanic types of languages that we have. That's why we've got 26% because

there was such a lot coming in, a lot of words, there. Okay. Right.

So, moving on again to the... This is 11th century as well, 1066, which is a big date

in English history. The Norman invasion. And if you know the area called Normandy in Northern France,

there's a connection, there. So, the Normans were French, and they invaded... They

came across the channel, they had a big battle near the south coast of Britain, and they

won so they took over. So the Norman invasion, that brought French for the first time and

some more Latin again, because anyway, French developed from Latin, so it was a mixture

of that. But French for the first time, their French that had developed from Latin,

as well as Latin itself.

So, let's have a look at some of the words we use in English today that came from French sources.

Okay. So, food, French people love food and a lot of words for food came in.

So: "beef", "pork" and "veal" all come from French words. Okay?

But then some other interesting words that maybe were Latin originally,

but they became French, and then these French

words came into English and they're still with us today,

words like: "continue", "liberty",

"justice", so a lot of legal language, words to do with the law come from French.

So "liberty", "justice". "Journey", if you go on a trip, a journey comes from a French word.

"People" comes from a French word for people. And even the little word "very".

When you say: "Oh, that's very nice", "very" just is the French word for true,

so it means "truly", "truly nice". That is truly nice, that is very nice.

So, a little word like "very" comes from the French word for "true". Okay.

Right, so we've covered Latin, French, Germanic, and Greek. And we've come up to 1066, but

of course, the English language didn't stop developing then. As I said, I ran out of space.

But other things happened, for example, in the 15th century, 16th century, people started

exploring the world, going off in ships and finding other countries, finding places like

America that they didn't know was there before; Christopher Columbus. Also going the other

way, and at the Portuguese, for example, found India and China. So, people explored. So,

from the English point of view, we had explorers who went off and found things, and came back,

and that also influenced the language because, for example, we got tobacco and potatoes from

America, so the words for those things were new. Okay.

And then 18th, 19th century, colonialism, British Empire, Britain became involved politically

in other countries, then eventually the British Empire ended and we now have the Commonwealth

instead. And now in the 20th, 21st century, the language is still developing. We've got

the internet, the speed of travel. It's very easy to get on a plane and travel thousands

of miles and go to another country, so words keep coming back from other countries, for example.

So looking at from the British Empire onwards, a lot of Asian words, words from

the Middle East and the far east, like "balcony" and "bangle", a bangle that you wear around your

wrist, "bangle". A "bungalow", that's a house which is only one storey,

a bungalow. We have quite a lot of those in this country.

A "guru" from India, someone who you go to for advice

and help, "guru". A "kiosk", "pajamas" that you wear in bed at night to sleep in, "pajamas"

are from an empire country. "Sandals" that you wear on your feet, sandals with spaces

in between for hot weather. And even "shampoo" that you wash your hair with, "shampoo" is

a foreign word from one of the empire countries.

And finally... So, we were talking about the internet and technology. If you're doing the

housework and hoovering the carpet, we also say vacuuming the carpet because you use a

vacuum cleaner, but one of the major brands of vacuum cleaner is the Hoover, and that

was the name of the maker, the Hoover. So, but that word has now become a verb "to hoover",

and "hoovering". Okay? So, names count for about 4% in the English language, so Hoover,

and more recently, Google; we all use Google, and now there is a verb "to Google",

so I am googling something. So... No, sorry, not like that, that's hoovering.

I'm googling something. So those are just two examples of names that are now part of the English

language, and it's changing all the time still. So... But it's a fascinating language to study,

as I hope you agree.

So, I hope that's been interesting for you, a bit of history.

And there is a quiz on the website, www.engvid.com,

so I hope you'll go and give that a try.

And so that's all for today.

But come back soon, and we'll have another lesson for you. Okay?

Thank you. Bye.