From the middle ages to the Elizabethan Era

The middle ages

Year 0: English didn't exist + British Isles inhabited by "the Celtics" ==> Creation of English = result of invasions.

Major invader (-100 AD) = Julius Caesar. ==> Roman mixed their language (latin) with Celtic.

• Established latin as language in which scholars would be able to read and write.
• Established a distinction between 2 types of languages:
• Vernacular (street)
• Vehicular or Lingua Franca (means of communicat° by people from various nationalities)

Then, had been christianised by St Patrick.

1st main invasion = () 5th and 10th century ==> Saxons who invaded "Britannia." (Angles and the Jutes did too)

• Saxons spoke Saxon (Germanic origin) ==> most imp. language was West Saxon (establish basic language)

2nd wave of invasion = started in the 8th century ==> people from Norway, Sweden and Denmark. They settled in the North of England (Scotland), South of Ireland and East of England = The Vikings

• Vikings spoke Norse (they could undertsand the Saxons)

Old English collapsed + became another language around 1200.