English
is one of the most common language used in this time. But, this
language does not have its history beyond a few centuries although it
has taken over a millennium to develop from scribbling to a proper
script. From what was lines and arrows, we have got the script of
this language we are writing in now!
English
like most European and central Asian languages has evolved from a
language now called Proto-Indo-European (PIE). It then passed through
several other root languages like Balto-Slavo-Germanic (BSG) and then
West-Germanic from which even Dutch and German have evolved; which is
why the script is same for these languages. But this was something
that happened around 4000BC. “Before English” was where English
got its origin from. No evidences were found in the form of writings
of that time for when English just started to evolve. The first
evidence is from around 3000BC. “Before English” has also been
influenced by Germanic, the branch English had come from, Celts
(hunters from 5000-6000BC) and the Romans. Romans resulted in the
making of script.
“Old
English” originated from “Before English” around 6th century.
This English originally came as “Englisc”. After the “Before
English” era, around 500AD, Germanic tribes, mainly the Angles from
South Denmark, Jutes from North Denmark and Anglo-Saxons from North
Germany invaded parts of Britain. Greek and Latin had continuously
been affecting the script. From that era also, only a few works
survived, the oldest being Cædmon's Hymn. Beowulf became popular and
is translated into several languages. In 8th century, the Vikings
attacked Britain to give their Norwegian dialect. By 11th century it
was so influenced that it led to a new form of English.
This
new form of English was “Middle English”. But “Middle English”
can be just said that it is the simplified “Old English”. The
transition between “Old English” and “Middle English” started
when one more language French influenced it. This happened when
William the Conqueror of France attacked Britain in 1066. This made
English language topsy-turvy and inherit English, French and
Anglo-Saxon words. This had made England a multilingual country, and
compiling all the words became English. English at that time still
had no significance and was third language in their own country!
Almost 85% of Anglo-Saxon words had died out creating new composition
of English to be Norman. When Chaucer was born, the base of English
literature formed.
When
literature formed, the transition into “Early Modern English”
started at the time of late 15th century. This script has similarity
to the modern day script, but to listen, the pronunciations were
still similar to “Middle English”. This period was the period
when most of the famous writers lived, including Shakespeare.
Shakespeare had contributed in the 'modernizing' of the “Middle
English” too. Some sounds passed on, like interchangeability of
sounds of u and v etc. But there was a main vowel shift that took
place meaning, the pronunciations of the vowels had started to
change. The arrival of printing press to England in 1476 was also
another reason for the development of English. The taking place of
the English Renaissance further influenced the language of English by
the end of the Renaissance.
Later
due to Industrial Revolution, the origin of “Late Modern English”
is known. This script is same as modern day script. “Late Modern
English” was more of formal. Also, the development of newer
technologies needed accommodation of new words, which was fulfilled
in “Late Modern English”. The introduction of Grammar and
dictionaries was mainly at the end of Early Modern English and
beginning of Late Modern English. The main transition between the
Early and Late Modern English is of the vocabulary, although the
pronunciation and grammar remained the same. Of the writings of
industrial and scientific revolutions more than half were in English.
This is what led to English today. Increase of internet chatting and
mobile chatting today is leading to a new form of English with short
forms such as 2nt for tonight, skul for school etc. English in the
present day times is more than 90% informal but what we learn in
schools is still Late Modern English.
Hence,
a language which was never recognized, has now got 2nd position in
the most commonly spoken languages and first position in the most
commonly used languages on the internet. This is the development of
English with contributions from over 10 languages. This “multilingual
language” contributed to the languages of all the countries that
British had made colonies of.
-Suhas
12/7/13
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