Introduction: History of English
Continued from Volume VII.
So, how was English
Transformed from a synthetic
To analytic?
Rich Germanic words
More words of French origin
Than of German source?
Two men changed English
Harold Godwinson, Wessex;
Duke of Normandy.
Edward, Confessor
Designated Harold, king
King Harold, Second.
Duke of Normandy
Distant cousin of Edward
Now claimed English throne.
Wil-li-am landed
Defeated Harold who died
Battle of Hastings.
Marched troops to London
Terrorized towns on the way
Crowned: Ten sixtysix.
English don't want him
Killed all English upper class
Gave supporters land.
Within twenty years
Now Norman-French upper class
Clergy all replaced.
Normans forced English
To build Windsor and Tower
For their protection.
With hundreds of ships
Imported French soft Caen stone
Built Windsor / Abby.
England spoke some French
Changed--Upper class used just French
Bilinguals used French.
Used Saxons for trade
As agents for the Normans
Goods made by farmers.
Will-iam used both tongues
To be crowned and gain favor
Was not accepted.
Were rebellious
Will-iam killed all opponents
Latin used for laws.
Wil-li-am promised
Land,but also Pope's blessing
Now was Holy War.
Pope disliked English
Didn't understand English
Now Latin runs Church.
Then Wil-li-am's son
Henry First wrote Latin laws
But French used also.
Latin written tongue
Not spoken except by few
English remained "free".
Latin / English words
Mixed later in Renaissance
From science and art.