Englisc
Quick Summary
Englisc, also known as Old English, is the language spoken and written in England before 1100 CE. It is the ancestor of Middle English and Modern English. Englisc belongs to the West Germanic languages and is closely related to Frisian.12
Key characteristics of Englisc include:
* Grammar: It had three grammatical genders (masculine, feminine, neuter) and inflected nouns, pronouns, and adjectives for case (nominative, genitive, dative, accusative, and instrumental). It also had a greater proportion of strong (irregular) verbs than Modern English.1
* Dialects: Four main dialects existed: Northumbrian, Mercian, Kentish, and West Saxon. Most surviving texts are in West Saxon.1
* Literature: Notable works include the epic poem Beowulf, The Wanderer, The Seafarer, and the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle. Old English poetry is characterized by alliteration and the use of kennings, which are metaphorical phrases.34
The Anglo-Saxons, Germanic peoples who settled in Britain from the 5th century CE, spoke these dialects, which together formed Old English. The language evolved significantly after the Norman Conquest in 1066, leading to Middle English.45
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