The English
language is much 'younger' than
Sanskrit, Persian, Greek, Latin, and other great classical languages of the
past. When these European and Asian languages were ruling the world, the names
English and England did not exist. The English we speak today came from the
speech of the Germanic tribes: Angles, Saxons and Jutes (together called the
Anglo-Saxons) who invaded England in the fifth century and gave the country its
name and its language.
The Anglo-Saxons were
Germanic people who lived in North and West Europe (present day Denmark,
Germany and Holland). The
languages they used were Germanic or Teutonic. These languages were closely
related to Latin, Greek Sanskrit and other languages of the Indo-European
family (or group) of languages. Thus, through Germanic, English belongs to the
ancient Indo-European family of languages. The 'roots' of English are shown in
the diagram given below:
The Germanic invaders were called Saxons by the
natives of England. The Saxons, on the other hand, called the natives of
England "Wealas" or foreigners. They, however, began to call their
languages Englisc. This word was derived from the name: Angles (Old English:
Engle). The country was given the name Anglecynn (or Angle-kin, that is, the
race of the Angles). From about AD 1000, the name Englaland (or the land of the Angles)
came into use in place of Anglecynn. Thus
both the name of the country England, and the language, English, are not native
to English.
Exercises
1. Complete the statements given below:
a) English language is younger than Persian.
b) English we speak today has come from the speech of the Germanic tribe.
c) The Anglo-Saxons were Germanic people.
d) Through Germanic English
belongs to the ancient Indo-European family of
languages.
2. Answer these questions very briefly:
1. Who did the natives of English call Saxons?
Ans: The natives of England called the Germanic
invaders as Saxons.
2. What did the Saxons call the natives of
England?
Ans: The Saxons called the natives of England
'Wealas' or foreigners.
3. What languages were called "Englisc"?
Ans: The languages Germanic or Teutonic, which were
closely related to Latin, Greek, Sanskrit, and other languages of the
Indo-European family.
4. When did
the name “Englaland” come into use? Which word did it replace?
Ans: From
about AD 1000, the name ‘Englaland’ come into use in place of Anglecynn.
5. What is the origin of the word 'English'?
Ans: The word 'English' comes from the tribe called
Angles.