Old English: 450 - 1150 ad (jan 1, 450 – jan 1, 1150)

Description:

Before English, the languages of Britain were Celtic

- English developed from the speech of the Angles, Jutes and Saxons (Viking raids began in 793 and continued into the 11th century)

- Anglo-Saxon and Old Norse had a significant influence

- Latin was regarded as the language of a highly regarded civilisation and remained so from this time onwards

- Different settlements that produced different dialects

- Largely phonetic language so little consistency in written language

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