Chartier 1
Jaime Chartier
Professor Lewis
Expository Writing I
18 September 2013
The Evolution of English
In an essay entitled “A Brief History of English” in the compilation Essential Essays,
American scholar Paul Roberts outlines the history of the language and how it came to be the
modern English that is spoken today. He begins by expressing his knowledge that the history is
lengthy and that he will only touch on “key points.”(5) He includes information on how other
languages such as French, Latin, and German have had an impact on the way English is
pronounced and written. For thousands of years the English language has been influenced by
many foreign languages. As the English language was shaped into what is spoken today,
numerous foreign language devices and vocabulary were incorporated into the language and
many changes in sound, grammar, and vocabulary occurred.
Roberts begins with introducing the very beginning of the English language and the first
historical knowledge of it. A few thousand years before A.D. the speakers of the oldest form of
English were groups of people that lived in the forests of Northern Europe (5). The language they
spoke was part of the Indo-European grouping but was considered a form of early German (5).
Eventually three tribes were formed and each spoke a different dialect of “Low German.” (5)
They were called the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes but can generally be referred to as the
Anglo-Saxons (6). Since the Roman Empire took up much of Europe in the beginning of A.D.,
these tribes had some contact with civilization. Their interactions with the Romans allowed for
This study source was downloaded by 100000850872992 from CourseHero.com on 03-06-2023 08:08:26 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/10020116/Summary-of-A-Brief-History-of-English/
, Chartier 2
the Anglo-Saxons to take some Latin words and incorporate them into the languages that they
spoke (6). Some of these words include kettle, wine, cheap, and church (6).
Although the Anglo-Saxons learned a lot from the Roman Empire they took the
opportunity to attack while the Romans were already under siege (6). The Celtic tribes in
northern Britain had been attacking the Empire for almost a hundred years, and gained control of
England in A.D. 410 (6). The last of the Latin language being spoken in England left with the
empire, and what remained was the Celtic language with some Latin integration (6). The Anglo-
Saxons had also been attacking Britain for a while, using ships to get from the Northern coast of
Europe to the island (6). They were opposed by both the Roman’s and the Celts, but the Celts
were left almost completely defenseless when the Roman Empire in Britain fell. Subsequently
the Anglo-Saxons were able to take control of Britain around 550 after many years of fighting
with the Celts (7). Different parts of England became home to the different tribes. Although there
was no significant shift in language during this time, this was the first record of English being in
England (7). Although there is information about this time period, Roberts considers it “Pre-
History” and the essay states that it is not completely reputable and the real history begins after
A.D. 600 (5).
After the Anglo-Saxons took over England, they were known as the English. They began
to learn more of the Latin language when they were converted to Christianity (7). Through this
conversion, they were also taught the Latin alphabet (7). Roberts states that this is the beginning
of “Old English,” and the first time we have actual records of existence of the language (7).
These records are due to a spark in translation of Latin writings into the current language of
England during that time (8).
This study source was downloaded by 100000850872992 from CourseHero.com on 03-06-2023 08:08:26 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/10020116/Summary-of-A-Brief-History-of-English/
Jaime Chartier
Professor Lewis
Expository Writing I
18 September 2013
The Evolution of English
In an essay entitled “A Brief History of English” in the compilation Essential Essays,
American scholar Paul Roberts outlines the history of the language and how it came to be the
modern English that is spoken today. He begins by expressing his knowledge that the history is
lengthy and that he will only touch on “key points.”(5) He includes information on how other
languages such as French, Latin, and German have had an impact on the way English is
pronounced and written. For thousands of years the English language has been influenced by
many foreign languages. As the English language was shaped into what is spoken today,
numerous foreign language devices and vocabulary were incorporated into the language and
many changes in sound, grammar, and vocabulary occurred.
Roberts begins with introducing the very beginning of the English language and the first
historical knowledge of it. A few thousand years before A.D. the speakers of the oldest form of
English were groups of people that lived in the forests of Northern Europe (5). The language they
spoke was part of the Indo-European grouping but was considered a form of early German (5).
Eventually three tribes were formed and each spoke a different dialect of “Low German.” (5)
They were called the Angles, the Saxons, and the Jutes but can generally be referred to as the
Anglo-Saxons (6). Since the Roman Empire took up much of Europe in the beginning of A.D.,
these tribes had some contact with civilization. Their interactions with the Romans allowed for
This study source was downloaded by 100000850872992 from CourseHero.com on 03-06-2023 08:08:26 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/10020116/Summary-of-A-Brief-History-of-English/
, Chartier 2
the Anglo-Saxons to take some Latin words and incorporate them into the languages that they
spoke (6). Some of these words include kettle, wine, cheap, and church (6).
Although the Anglo-Saxons learned a lot from the Roman Empire they took the
opportunity to attack while the Romans were already under siege (6). The Celtic tribes in
northern Britain had been attacking the Empire for almost a hundred years, and gained control of
England in A.D. 410 (6). The last of the Latin language being spoken in England left with the
empire, and what remained was the Celtic language with some Latin integration (6). The Anglo-
Saxons had also been attacking Britain for a while, using ships to get from the Northern coast of
Europe to the island (6). They were opposed by both the Roman’s and the Celts, but the Celts
were left almost completely defenseless when the Roman Empire in Britain fell. Subsequently
the Anglo-Saxons were able to take control of Britain around 550 after many years of fighting
with the Celts (7). Different parts of England became home to the different tribes. Although there
was no significant shift in language during this time, this was the first record of English being in
England (7). Although there is information about this time period, Roberts considers it “Pre-
History” and the essay states that it is not completely reputable and the real history begins after
A.D. 600 (5).
After the Anglo-Saxons took over England, they were known as the English. They began
to learn more of the Latin language when they were converted to Christianity (7). Through this
conversion, they were also taught the Latin alphabet (7). Roberts states that this is the beginning
of “Old English,” and the first time we have actual records of existence of the language (7).
These records are due to a spark in translation of Latin writings into the current language of
England during that time (8).
This study source was downloaded by 100000850872992 from CourseHero.com on 03-06-2023 08:08:26 GMT -06:00
https://www.coursehero.com/file/10020116/Summary-of-A-Brief-History-of-English/
