Summary

English has the characteristics of dazzling flexibility and an extraordinary power to absorb, so new dialects of English are evolving all the time all over the world.

Modern Friesian and modern English can both be traced back to the same family, the Germanic family of languages. The West Germanic tribes took their language with them to the territory of modern England in 5^th century. In the year 491 Germanic invaders laid siege and slaughtered the celts, which lived there. The only way to survive for celts was to become part of the invaders tribes to adopt their culture and their language.

English took its first steps away from its tribal roots with revival of Christianity. Within 7^th century Christians built churches and monasteries and Christian missionaries brought the language of the Christian religion, Latin, in the country. Latin terms became part of the English and English took the script from the Latin.

The runic letters could be carved into stone or wood, so runes were mainly used for short practical massages or graffiti. The Latin alphabet allows words to be easily written on the parchment, so books could be widely circulated. Books of the Bible were translated, laws of lands were written down.

The first great poem written in English was “Beowulf”. It told us about the glory days of the Germanic tribes. This poem shows us a specific poetic energy that is in the language.

Vikings coming on these lands in 7^th century started to destroy churches, which were no more than treasure-house. The great library in Lindisfarne was burn to the ground with its books in it. Only Alfred, the Wessex king, could defended his kingdom.

In 1066 William Duke of Normand sailed to claim English throne. The first king who spoke French was William I the Conqueror, thus modern English involve a lot of  French words.

In conclusion, English started as a tribal dialect seemingly isolated in a small England, but now it circles the globe. 

To sum up...

Well, after watching documentary but very interesting & usefull film about the birth & development of English language, I must say that it gave us a lot of information thanks to which we could understand why modern English is like that. From the video we got to know that 2.000 years ago English was totally different from today`s one. Historical aspects played very important role in formation of language on the teritory of Great Britain. Firstly, these isles were occupied in different times with different tribes & nations, which brought their language with them. That`s why English was influenced a lot by German & French languages. Then, in times when 'Christians' came, language was under the pressure of Latin. For example, they used Latin alphabet & surely a lot of words from Latin itself. Also there is such an interesting fact that since time words have started to be pronounsed in different way, but in writing there were almost no changes. Maybe ancient English for us is different just because it`s mostly in pronounсiation from modern one . By the way, thanks to the video we have discovered the unique place Friesland where English still sounds like 1.500 years ago. So, English has a long way of formation, changing & development; & frankly speaking the video had opened my eyes & had shown a lot of unknown but useful information.

The Adventure of English - Birth of a Language

The video "The Adventure of English - Birth of a Language" is about the birth and formation of English language.Melvyn Bragg,who is the presenter in this video,told that English is common throughout the world ,the history of which is extraordinary.The video consists of several programs about "the words we thinking,talking,singing and the words that describe the life we live". An interesting fact that in the world there is an island where the people speak in Old English, which has existed for a thousand years . The island called Friesland.A lot of different nouns,prepositions,verbs came into the English language from ancient times.

Kathryn A. Lowe said that sounds in Old English sound better than in the modern language.As for the birth of English,the language was brought to Britain by Germanic tribes like Angles, Saxons and Jutes.From 800 BC it begins the era of the British Celts and, accordingly, the Celtic language in Britain.Later English developed thanks to Christians.They brought such language as Latina and Latin terms began a part of English(eg.mass and verse).Then, the land was invaded by the Vikings. They spread their language.The exception was king Alfred  whose monarchy Wales was named the Great.In the end, the king of the Normans came to power, who spoke in French.The interesting thing is that there are different words for the same things in the Old and Modern English(e.g skill-craft ,ill-sick).

My summary

After watching a first part of the video 'HISTORY OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE Birth of a Language doc series' I`ve learned a lot of things about English.

It's really interesting because a host says if we were at the Soth Bank in London two thousand years ago we wouldn't understand the language people talk there. It make us understand that a language changes little by little and we don't notice it. And now thousands of people around the world speak English, even though it wasn't like this centuries ago and 300 years ago English was even forced underground and survived. 

There is an interesting place - Friesland, we can consider a language locals speak as an ancestor`s English, it is really hard to understand for us, but it's simplier for english-speakers, because it relates to the germanic languages. 

Talking about the Celts, only a handful of their words survived into modern English. Also many modern place names or words come from Northumbria. After the years when Latin was very powerful, English started to use Latin alphabet.

So, I can sum up, that English was influenced by the tribes that conquered The UK, powerful counties' languages or some languages that was popular years ago. English just took words from them and made a powerful language, that is spoken by thousands millions of people. It is a really interesting video!

The Adventure Of English - Episode 1 Birth of a Language

Today English is an international language of well over a thousand million people around the world.This program tells about the firs steps of language development and the influence of various tribes.The presenter begins this story with Friesland(the Netherlands), where we can still hear the modern language that sounds like 1,500 years ago.In the 5th century Germanic tribes(Jutes, Angles, Saxons)came and took their language with them.At the same time, the Celts become part of the invader`s tribes, so only a handful of words from Celtic languages survive into modern English.The Germanic tribes, which settled around the country all spoke their own dialects now.
One more interesting fact that Old English words sound a little different, then Modern English and Old English forms not by word order, as we do, but by tacking on endings onto the ends of things(language expert Katie Lowe).
In the 7th century Christian missionaries brought the international language of Christian religion - Latin.A lot of terms and words come from Latin to English.Besides, English took the script from Latin too.Then, Viking  invaders controlled the north and east of country and spreading their language here.Only King Alfred from Wessex was a great defender of the English language.In 1066 another wave of invaders was landing - the Normans.King William spoke French throughout, so nearly 500 words dealing with food,cooking and eating alone entered English from French.

Summary

The video “Birth of a language” describes development of English language during centuries. Some programs were made about history of English.

The Netherlands is place, where we can still hear the modern language sounds closest to what the ancestor of the English sounded like 1,500 years ago.

In the 5th century, a Germanic tribe, part of the family that also contained Jutes, Angles and Saxon's, made sail to look for a better life. In fact, they took their language with them.

More than 500 years before, the Romans had also come by sea, their empire had crumbled, and they'd abandoned these islands.

Germanic invaders seized Celt`s lands in 491. The Celts became servants and second-class citizens. Only few words from the Celtic language have survived into modern English. By the end of the 6th century, these Germanic tribes occupied half of mainland Britain and had divided into a number of kingdoms Kent, Sussex, Essex, and Wessex. East Anglia, names after the Angles who gave England it's name. The Germanic tribes spoke Anglo-Saxon or Old English.

Katie Lowe, language expert, said that in the region of around 25,000 words were swirling around at that time.

The monks brought the international language of the Christian religion - Latin. The Runic alphabet, was made up of symbols, formed mainly of straight lines, so that the letters could be carved into stone or wood.

The great English monk and scholar Bede began writing the first ever history of the English speaking people.

No one knows who composed the epic Beowulf, the first great poem in the English Language. The poem celebrates the glory days of the Germanic tribes, optimizing the heroic warrior who gives the poem it's name.

Over 12 centuries ago, the vikings savaged easten half of the country. In 865, they landed a great army in East Anglia.

King Alfred's the only monarch known as "the Great". In 878, the Danes won what appeared to be a decisive battle at Chippenham in Wiltshire. Alfred, with only a few followers, went on the run into the marshes of Somerset and got a victory. Hundreds of Norse words entered the mainstream of English.

Alfred made an extraordinarily imaginative project, to promote literacy, and restore the English language. As a result, Alfred made a significant influence on development of English.

In 1066 the Normans came. About 10,000 words come from the conquering Norman French. Nearly 500 words dealing with food, cooking, and eating alone entered English from French. The Doomsday book, show us how widespread their influence and their language.

To sum up, English language was influenced by different tribes and now it has a poor place in a country with 3 languages. 

My Conclusion

I’ve found this video very useful! The information has been absolutely new for me.

So, now I know that 2000 years ago the language would have been incomprehensible.

1000 years ago English had established its first base camp.

English is the language of over a thousand million people all over the world now.

Modern English can be traced back to the same family – the Germanic family of languages.

In the year 491 dramatic invaders laid siege and slaughtered the Celts.

It was a kind of surprise for me that English had taken its roots with the revival of Christianity.

Indeed, while Latin was extremely powerful, the prevailing language among the people was still old English. Now old English is written down using Latin alphabet.

Most of all I liked the place the old Roman for dependency that had been a faithful one for the English language.