History of the English Language (Seth Lerer)

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File Format: 18 CDs – 216 MP3s

Size: 373.8 MB

There are several publications and websites that describe the evolution of the English language from its ancient roots to its current status as a dynamic and strong communication tool (you can find some of them on my Sources and Links page). Some go into minute and agonizing technical information, while others are simple one-page summaries, and you may be thinking if we really need another.

Perhaps not, but I wanted to make one for my personal amusement and education. And this one is neither too long nor too short, not too thin nor too “light,” but, as Goldilocks would have said, exactly perfect. There aren’t many “fricatives,” “palatizations,” or “labialized velars” (this isn’t a serious philology study), but there’s enough of entertaining historical information, action, and intrigue.

Whatever your feelings are on the subject, English, with all of its quirks and inconsistencies, remains the world’s most significant and influential language. It has consistently found itself at the right place at the right moment throughout history: English-speaking Britain was the leading colonial nation in the 17th and 18th centuries, as well as the leader of the Industrial Revolution in the 18th and 18th centuries; in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, English-speaking America was the leading economic power, and was also at the forefront of the late 20th century electronic and digital revolution.

It has, nevertheless, proven to be the most adaptable and tenacious of languages, notable for its capacity to accept and absorb terminology from various cultures. It has withstood assaults by invading armies, avoided extinction on several occasions, and navigated the shifting cultural zeitgeist, growing ever stronger in the process. The quantity and diversity of its various varieties now attest to its enduring vitality.

The History section of this website can be read as a kind of story, in chapters, following the development of the English language from its Indo-European origins, through Old English and Middle English, to Early Modern English and Late Modern English, before concluding with a brief look at English Today. However, there is a section on Language Issues (including How New Words Are Created, Language and Geography, and English as a Global Language), a Timeline of major events in English evolution, a Glossary of some of the technical and historical words used, and a list of Sources and Links.

At this point, I’d want to express my gratitude to the several websites, books, and television shows that I have unequivocally looted, altered, and amalgamated, many of which are featured on the Sources and Links page. This is a personal initiative, not a scholarly study, and I have not supplied unequivocal references to original sources for every point I make, however I have provided precise references and credits for all photos included. Please email me if you have any concerns about the content or attributions (or lack thereof), or if you see any obvious errors.

In case you were wondering, the spelling on this page is mostly Canadian English (which is a blend of British and American spelling), while the terms introduced – the majority of which arrived before Canada was Canada – are typically in British English. Contemporary English spelling is a whole new subject that deserves its own website, but you may start by looking at another of mine on Canadian, British, and American spelling.

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