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Mercian
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Map of Britain showing the distribution of Old English dialects, with regions labeled as Northumbrian, Mercian, West Saxon, and Kentish in green, and neighboring Celtic-speaking areas of Strathclyde, North Wales, and West Wales in orange. Red lines indicate language boundaries and gray lines mark dialect boundaries, with key towns and historical landmarks such as Hadrian's Wall and the Antonine Wall also shown.
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Mercian

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Map of Britain showing the distribution of Old English dialects, with regions labeled as Northumbrian, Mercian, West Saxon, and Kentish in green, and neighboring Celtic-speaking areas of Strathclyde, North Wales, and West Wales in orange. Red lines indicate language boundaries and gray lines mark dialect boundaries, with key towns and historical landmarks such as Hadrian's Wall and the Antonine Wall also shown.
Old English dialects: distribution The distribution of Old English dialects.

The term "Mercian" refers to two related concepts: a native or inhabitant of the historical kingdom of Mercia, and the Old English dialect spoken in that region. Mercia was one of the most powerful Anglo-Saxon kingdoms in England, particularly dominant from the mid-7th to the early 9th century.12

The Mercian dialect was one of four known dialects of Old English, alongside Northumbrian, Kentish, and West Saxon. Old English is the ancestor of Modern English and was spoken in England before 1100. Mercian, along with Northumbrian, is often grouped as the Anglian dialects.3

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3 Britannica Sources
  1. Mercian
  2. Mercia
  3. Old English language

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