Saturday, September 18, 2010

The Anglo Saxon Period

 449 - 1066

The Island of Britain - the original home of the Brighton's is invaded by three German Tribes:  The Angles, The Saxons and The Jutes. 
This changed the culture, the language and the history of the known world forever! 

What language do you think was the spoken in England during this period? 
And why do people speak English there today? Any idea? 
How does language evolve? 

Share your thoughts. 

21 comments:

  1. The language that I believe was spoken in England during the Anglo Saxon period was probably some sort of old English. It is probably why the present day British speak in the accent that they do seeing as how the Angles spoke something much similar to english. Language usually evolves by the environment and the people who are leaders. Languages shift in accent and usually imitate the articulation of those in power or people who are more heard.

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  2. I believe that the language that was spoken during this period of England was a language that was similar to Latin. The Anglo-Saxon period is a period of kingdoms, monarchy, and Vikings. While watching the history channel I found out that around this time period people mostly spoke Latin, French, and Spanish. English was not a language until years later. Cultural diffusion is the main reason that people in that area speak English and not their native tongue. Cultural diffusion would normally occur when one county interacts with another, wars, or imperialism. The reason that Latin has become a dead language is because people stopped speaking it. Perhaps, as years went by people began speaking one language and not the other language. This would cause the next generation to be familiar with a new language and not their native language.

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  3. After reading about the anglo saxon period, I learned that they spoke Old English, which is West Germanic. I Think people speak English there today because England was conquered. The language was brought to Britain by Germanic invaders. Language evolves by different cultures and cultural diffusion. Language can also be evolved by religion, dictators and other elements of society.

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  4. English came to be because of the many invasions Britian had. During the Anglo- Saxon period the language that was spoken was called Old English. Old English is a West Germanic language. Due to many invasions the language would evolve depending on who conquered at that time. That is know as cultural diffusion. The language refromed over the years into the english we speak today.

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  5. The Anglo Saxon Period was a perod of Cultural diffusion with countries like Lithuania, Greece, Romania, France, Italy, Angeln, and Saxony. Since these countries decided to come together in the island of Brittain, they were forced to communicate every day. The people in these countries all spoke different languages so in the early 5th century, these countries decided to come together and form one language they could all share. The Anglo-Saxons were true to keeping their Roman legacy alive by replacing the language with one they had created, which is known as 'Old English'. This Old English is still studied today, and we notice how much it influenced the English language we speak today. After researching the Anglo-Saxons' Period, I have come to realize that there was never a time where the instantaneous language spoken wasnt pieces of the language spoken a year or two before. Language has always changed throughout the passing years. The Old English and Modern English in the past was just the beginning of our 'new' language today and the same goes for English even today for the years to come. Language always changes because we are introduced to new cultures around the world, cultures diffuse as a result of that, and young educated people always find new ways to explain and define questions too complex to be understood. In some way every language spoken around the world is a remake of just one language, each used in a different way. Today I'm sure the people of the territory where the Anglo-Saxons resided, speak a language that orignated from Old English and is similar to the English we speak in the United States, but will continue to evolve year by year.

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  6. The language that I think that was spoken in England around the time was a form of old English. People speak English there today because It stayed with them throughout the years to show the strength they possessed through all the conflicts that have occurred. I personally think that language evolve because of the customs and the traditions past down from generation to generation. Especially through family and friends, language definitely evolves.

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  7. The language that I think that was spoken in England during the Anglo Saxon Period was old english mixed with some german since the original home of the Brighton's was invaded by three German tribes. I think that people speak English there today since it became the offical language in the island of Britain. Language evolve because as time passes new words are added to people vocabulary and soon becomes part of the language. Also some words are no longer used so that makes the language also change. It also evolves in other countries because of cultural diffusion and people begin to mix all their cultures to make new words.

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  8. I believe the language being spoken in England during the fifth century was broken english. After England was invaded by German tribes, diffusion became present and influenced the tongue of England. This language is still spoken today because the broken english carried on through the centuries because the leader's of England spoke this language. As time evolves, whom ever has control or power of England, or any country..the language will evolve depending on who is the leader.

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  9. The language that I believe was spoken during the Anglo Saxon Period in England was Old English, also known as West Germanic. Old English derived from many important influential languages that was used in Europe such as: Latin, Germanic, Norse, Celtic. I think that people in England speak English because of the spread of cultural diffusion. Overtime, countries like France, Ireland, Scotland and many more countries used their languages to formally develop Old English into "New English". As countries are always interacting with other nations, customs and traditions will also translate into other people's way of life. This helps make languages constantly evolve around the world.

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  10. I think German was spoken in English during this period because the Germans came there and they probably would've adapted to their language and dialect. People speak English there today because as times changes, so does the way of life. Language evolves based on what is spoken at that point in time.

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  11. During the Anglo Saxon Period, settlers from German regions such as Angeln and Saxony made their way over to Britain after the fall of the Roman Empire around AD 410. Because they all arrived in Britain together, they were determined to come together and form a language that would help them communicate in a easier and faster way. Since each country had their own unique way of communicating within themselves, they created a language that would help them speak to one another, and that language became known as the Old English. The Old English is an early form of English language which was spoken in England between the 5th and 11th centuries. It is a West Germanic language that is very similar to Old Frisian and Old Saxon as well as Old Norse. Unlike the modern English we speak today, Old English is a language filled with much more diversity and life. Speakers of Old English also called their language Englisc, themselves Angle, Angelcynn or Angelfolc and their home Angelcynn or Englaland. Their language began to appear in writing during the early 8th century and most texts were written in West Saxon,which is one of the four main dialects. The other three dialects were Mercian, Northumbrian and Kentish. Sometimes, the Old English was even written with a version of the Runic alphabet that was brought to Britain by the Anglo Saxons until about the 11th century. Unfortunately, very few examples of Runic writing on manuscripts have survived.
    In my opinion, different languages usually evolve through the spread of cultural diffusion because of the quick interactions countries have with one another. Even classical traditions and customs someone shares with the world are becoming conflicted and part of others traditions and personal lifestyles due to the constant interacting that goes around the world each and every day.

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  12. the language that i think was was the spoken in England during The Anglo Saxon Period was Old English, it was also the language spoken under Alfred the Great and it continues to be the common language of England. I think that england continues to speak english because of cultural diffusion and since that was the language that they spoke there at that time because of the invasion they stayed with that language instead of converting back to their own native language. I think that the way language evolves is by the interation of two different languages and/or cultures both becoming so intractive and interwined with each other that it is difficult to see which is the'basic' language and/or culture and both of them evolve into a new language and/or customs .

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  13. During this time I think Old English was spoken, which I would think would be very heavy in Latin and Greek influence. Today people speak English there as a result of cultural diffusion; as England was conquered, traded, and surrounded by/with other countries of different spoken languages, foreign words and phrases would be added and/or altered as part of the English language. Language evolves with the help of other languages and through the growth of the human species. As the years go on, more and more countries of various languages are interacting and influencing the way in which we speak. For example, the English word barbecue is taken from the Taíno word barbacoa. This word became a part of our language through the Spanish and British conquests of the Americas. Also, every year the human race grows more intelligent and the human mind develops much faster. As a result of this our language will change; we will think of a shorter, faster, and(sometimes)more efficient way of expressing ourselves. What we can say in a seven-word text message today, would have taken Old English speakers maybe a full-length page to say.

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  14. The language that i think they spoke during the Anglo Saxon Period was Old English. i think it continues to be the language spoken in england because of the amount of influence but it has evolved. Words have been modernized but because of the cultural diffusion, the influence is big. Language evolves as people from one area move to another and spread culture and language.

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  15. During the Anglo Saxon Period, I think Britain spoke the German language because the Anglo Saxons bought their Germanic language, religion, culture and oral literature traditions to Britain. I think people speak English in England today because as cultural diffusion began to spur, England started to evolve into their own identity and wanted a language of their own. Language mainly evolves by cultural diffusion. As different people from different countries around the world start to interact with each other through trade and exploration, ideas are shared.

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  16. During the Anglo Saxon Period, I believe a very old-style or fashion of English was spoken. This is why the people of England have a British accent and have different words in their vocabulary then we do. Languages evolve when we associate with others from a different culture. Through cultural diffusion, we must learn to interact with each other for survival. Since the Jutes, Saxons and Anglos live around each other they developed a language to communicate together.

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  17. Prior to the Anglo-Saxon invasion during the 5th Century, historians believe that the people of Great Britian spoke different dilects possibliy derived from the Celtic languages such as Welsh and Cornish. However, as a result of cultural diffusion, the British were introduced to a different language, culture, and lifestyle. The Anglo-Saxonians introduced "Old English" to the people of Great Britian and established the foundation of the English language we know today. The Anglo-Saxonians wanted to stay loyal to their Roman culture. The Old English was a dramatic transition. It involved the dialects from the Celtic languages. Today, Old English is the foundation of many early forms of literature such as many of William Shakespeare's pieces. Even the King James Version Holy Bible, which is believe to be the very first Bible written, was translated in Old English. Today, it has evolved into the English language we speak today. Over time, language evolves into what we know today. People do not speak Old English or other language like Latin anymore because of cultural diffusion, imperialism, and other forms of collobrations between cultures. We have evolved as a people. In the United States especially, we are known as the melting pot because of the different people and languages that melt together to form one body.

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  18. Great Britian is commonly known for the country where the English language originated. However, was the English language always spoken there? Where did it come from? Historians believe that before the invasion of the Anglo Saxon people, the British spoke a specific dialect that eventually developed into the English language. The Celtic language which included a Welsh dialect was commonly spoken amongst the people of Great Britian. However, after the 5th Century invasion of the Anglo Saxon people, the English language gradually emerged. Old English was a combination of the Anglo Saxon Roman dialect and the dialect of the British people. Before the development of Old English, the language barriar between the two cultures restricted and prevented communication. Slowly and surely, Old English swept across the world. As a result of cultural diffusion, people around the world adapted this new language. It was used in literature. Writers such as William Shakespeare and Homer used Old English in their pieces. As time progressed and cultures advanced, the Old English transformed into the English we speak today. Presently, Britian is known for the most accurate form of English spoken today. The United States dialect is far different from Great Britian's dialect. Over time, with the progression of time, advancements in cultures, and cultural diffusion, languages are constantly evolving and creating innovative ideas, people, and cultures.

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  19. During the Anglo Saxon Period I think that the language that spoken during that period was not English but another language. Reading about the Anglo Saxon Period taught me that when the epic stories were told they spoke in a Germanic language. They would tell stories of their warriors/heros and spread their culture all around. I think that people speak English in England today because as they continued to spread oral literature other cultures became involved. As these other cultures would here the epic stories words began to change and eventually the Germanic language slowly evolved into English. My theory on the how language evolving is that when the world began to interact with each other languages began to get mixed and new words were developed. I believe that every time a word/phrase would change it would start to develop into a different language forming new ones.

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  20. During the Anglo Saxon period, the language that I think that was spoken in England was Old English. People there needed a way to communicate because of the different cultures and languages. I think the people there speak English because it has a lot to do with their history and it's a language that many of them have kept around and are used to. Language evolves by blending traditions and cultures or sharing them with others. When these ideas are spread, people start picking up on the way the other carries itself out and when they interact with others they also spread it.

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  21. In my opinion, it is very difficult to find out what language was spoken in England during the period of invasions because nothing was ever written at that time. However, it can be said that whatever language they spoke back then is the mother language of the English we speak today. This is due to the evolution of language. Language is very dynamic becuase it changes along with other factors such as time, people and places. Language was naturally acquired by humans in history, and as life became more advance language was upgraded. Currently, English is a widely spoken language. Since it is so common, it can be universally used to communicate with wide audiences. Having a standard language is less complicated than having many different languages that are separately spoken. Therefor, the mix of languages, or being bilingual is very efficient.

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