CLA 30 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Equatorial Mount, Germanic Languages, William Caxton
9/29/17 Lecture 2
The Development of English
- Knowledge of Latin spread as Roman Empire spread
Britain
- Britain = Celtic speakers
- Roman conquest of part of Britain in mid-first century C.E.
- Latin influence?
German Incursions into the Roman Empire
- 4th century: large numbers of Germanic people entered Roman Empire
- Many fleeing Huns, aggressive non-Germanic people
- Things ugly between Romans & Germanic people
Roman Withdrawal from Britain
- German tribe: Wisigoths
- Sacked Rome in 410 C.E.
- Roman legions abandoned Britain
Germanic Peoples Invaded Britain (5th century C.E.)
- Angles, Saxons, Jutes (400-450)
- Came to stay, took over parts of Britain & establish kingdoms
- 476 C.E. = end of Western Roman Empire
The Beginnings of English
- 1st stage: 400 (or 450) to 1100 C.E. : Anglo-Saxon or Old English (a Germanic
language)
- Anglo-Saxon gradually replaced Celtic languages in much of Great Britain,
bringing with it only few embedded Latinate words
600 C.E. Christianity Brought Latin/Greek into Anglo-Saxon
- Reconversion of Britain
- Missionaries to Anglo-Saxons - King Ethelbert of Kent
- Converted around 600 C.E.
- WIth Christianity, Latin, & Greek words begin to enter English
- Ex: abbot, altar, apostle, candle, clerk, school
Document Summary
Knowledge of latin spread as roman empire spread. Roman conquest of part of britain in mid-first century c. e. 4th century: large numbers of germanic people entered roman empire. Things ugly between romans & germanic people. Came to stay, took over parts of britain & establish kingdoms. 1st stage: 400 (or 450) to 1100 c. e. : anglo-saxon or old english (a germanic language) Anglo-saxon gradually replaced celtic languages in much of great britain, bringing with it only few embedded latinate words. Missionaries to anglo-saxons - king ethelbert of kent. With christianity, latin, & greek words begin to enter english. Ex: abbot, altar, apostle, candle, clerk, school. Normans were originally viking invaders (northmen) who settled in nw france. In 1006 (battle of hastings), william the conqueror (norman) conquered. For the next 2 centuries, england ruled by french-speakers. Result: flood of french words into english. Most latinate words entered the english language during norman period.
