THE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF ENGLISH: FROM OLD ENGLISH ROOTS TO A GLOBAL LINGUA FRANCA
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Abstract
The article explores the historical development of the English language from its earliest Germanic origins to its present-day global status. English, a West Germanic language of the Indo-European family, has undergone profound phonetic, morphological, syntactic, and lexical transformations over more than fifteen centuries. The Old English period was characterized by a complex inflectional system and rich Germanic vocabulary. Contact with Latin during Christianization and with Old Norse during Viking invasions introduced significant lexical borrowings and simplified morphology. The Norman Conquest marked the beginning of the Middle English period, when French and Latin exerted strong influence on English vocabulary and style, and grammatical endings were gradually lost. By the 15th century, English re-emerged as a national language, particularly through the works of Geoffrey Chaucer. The Early Modern English period brought standardization, the Great Vowel Shift, and extensive lexical enrichment from Latin and Greek during the Renaissance. This was also the age of Shakespeare and the King James Bible, which established the foundation of modern literary English. The Late Modern period saw the spread of English through colonial expansion and globalization, resulting in numerous regional and national varieties. Today, English functions as a global lingua franca, used in science, business, technology, and international communication. Its development reflects a balance between Germanic roots and continuous adaptation to social, cultural, and technological change. The historical evolution of English demonstrates how linguistic flexibility and openness to borrowing have shaped it into the world’s most influential language.
How to Cite
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English language history, Old English, Middle English, Modern English, linguistic change, global language
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