The English Language: From The Beginning To Now by Nathan Lee

kingmushroom0617 — 2025-06-02 01:04:27 UTC

This video gives an auditory of how English has evolved over time.

kingmushroom0617 — 2025-06-02 01:12:09 UTC

It is unclear as to who exactly invented the English language. However, it can be traced back to many, many centuries ago, starting with the invasion of the land of Britain.

During the 5th Century A.D., three Germanic tribes, the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes, crossed the North Sea from (modern-day) Denmark and Northern Germany to Britain. The Celtic language was spoken by those who lived in Britain, but the tribes forced them up north (Scotland, Ireland, and Wales).

Since the tribes spoke similar languages, this eventually developed into what is known as Old English, which sounds nothing like what you are reading right now (see video at the end). The majority of the letters of that language were also nothing alike. How did the word England/English originate? The Angles, of course, which the words derived from Englaland and Englisc, respectively.

kingmushroom0617 — 2025-06-03 00:10:13 UTC

English developed further after the 1100s when the Duke of Normandy (part of France), William the Conquerer, invaded England, and the French language was introduced by the Normans into the island and the Royal Court; English and French were split by class into the lower and upper classes, respectively, but English eventually took over Britain in the 14th century, albeit now developed into Middle English.

However, before English eventually dominated again, Middle English was the result of the two languages mixing. Think of it like English but with French words being included. This isn't really new, as many languages and dialects that are spoken around the world are the result of events like this (environment, culture, invasion, etc...).

kingmushroom0617 — 2025-06-03 00:22:48 UTC

The development of Modern English can be split into two parts: Early and Late.

Early Modern English began developing between the 1500s and the 1800s, and the pronunciation of vowels became shorter over time (see video at the end). This first phase of Modern English was influenced by Classical learning and the Renaissance, including Shakespeare's works like Hamlet, Romeo and Juliet, Macbeth, and so forth. Printing was also invented, so English became cemented as a common language. Around that time, books became cheaper, so many people learned how to read, write, and all of the basic things we can do today.

Late Modern English started in the 1800s up to today. The main difference between the two phases is vocabulary, with the latter having many more words. The new words were influenced by the Industrial Revolution and new technology that was being developed and created over the centuries.

kingmushroom0617 — 2025-06-03 00:43:23 UTC

Especially during the Late Modern English era, the British Empire colonized eastern North America, but the colonies eventually ceded and became what everyone knows as the United States of America. Again, language develops with the environment as one of the factors, so English in America became very different than in Britain. Some pronunciations and words froze. New words replaced their British counterparts like autumn becoming fall, rubbish becoming trash, and so forth.

Spain also conquered areas of North America before the United States eventually took some of that said land. As a result, we have words like canyon, ranch, stampede, vigilante, and so forth, being added to the English language, just like how Middle English formed. The French, West Africa (slave trade), and even Hollywood movies further influenced the language.