The English Language Old English (450-1100 A. D.)

Old English was a Germanic language, and was brought to Britain by invaders from what it was today Denmark and Northern Germany. It looked and sounded very different from modern English, and a Native speaker today would not understand it. However, about half of the words in modern English come from Old English.

Middle English (1100-1500)

In 1066, the Duke of Normandy invaded England from Northern France, bringing his language with him. For a long time the rich people spoke French and the poor people spoke Old English. For this reason, many words in English that come from French are formal. Eventually, the two languages mixed to become Middle English.

Modern English (1500-present)

English began to have contact with many other languages, partly because of the British Empire. English adopted words from many different languages such as shampoo, from Hindi; bungalow, from Bengali; and cocoa, from Quechua. Today English uses words from over 140 different languages.

American English
American English in particular, has been influenced by Spanish (from contact with Spanish speakers in Mexico and Texas), French (through Louisiana), and West African Languages (through the slave trade). Today, American English is particularly influential, due to the U. S.A.´s dominance of cinema, popular music, and technology, including the internet.

Questions:

1. Where does English come from?
a) Denmark only b) Germany only c) Both Germany and France d) None

2. Duke of Normandy spoke French
a) True b) False c) Not mentioned d) Spanish

3. Only the people spoke Old English and the people who had money in abundance spoke , that´s why many words in English that do not come from French were considered more .
a) poor, French, formal c) poor, French, informal
b) rich, English, informal d) rich, French, informal

4. People who speak modern English now would not understand Old English because it was very similar.
a) Not true b) False c) It is correct d) contradictory

5. English uses words from…. languages
a) more than 100 b) less than 140 c) more than 150 d) none