Surviving the Invasion

            Recalling the beginnings of the English language, it is crucial to highlight the Norman invasion. After the English language had stepped up and was fairly accepted in Britain, it had to face one of the most ferocious invasions by the Normans. They came along with their own language expecting to establish their culture and customs. I would have predicted at least a substantial decrease in the popularity and a radical change in the language. However, as said in the video, “English remained mostly unchanged after the Norman invasion” (The Story of English). Surprisingly, not even its pronunciation changed. People were beginning to get used to hearing English in their surroundings, which was vital for English to maintain its dominance in the region. A language can survive throughout time, but English did not just survive, it prospered. An example of the progress English was making was the fact that “Anglo Norman children were learning French as a second language” (The Story of English). This was a major change in the progress of the language, since it was starting to gather people that previously spoke another language and newborns and increasing its population.

            But how was English especially different from the other languages? The diversity was the key. “English gained a staggering ten thousand words from the Normans” (The Story of English). It almost doubled in size and in variety. Now, people were fascinated with the English since they had several ways of saying the thing. This allowed them to express themselves more freely and accurately. At this point, one can begin to see how the English language starts being composed of several other languages. Mixtures are usually the best in most aspects, and in this case the mixture seemed to be the key for the English language to thrive. How will British English be transformed into the American English? Will more invasions take place and expand the language even more?