Language Change Timeline

 Proto-Language:

• 500,000- 350,000BC – Study of fossilised ear bones suggest ability to understand speech.
• 40,000BC – Homo sapiens found in Africa and Europe. Some believe this is where true language originated.
• 8, 000BC – Probable first Indo-European speakers in Turkey.
• 5, 000BC – First system of writing, Sumerian, which then develops into cuneiform script.
• 2,000BC – First alphabetic script (ie. Non-pictorial) developed by Semitic Egyptian workers.
• 1,500BC – Oldest surviving Sanskrit texts.
• 400BC – Celts spread to England.
• 55BC- Roman military expedition lands in England.

Anno Domino Language:

•  43 – Roman invasion of England under Claudius.
• 150 – Germanic speakers settle in England from the coast of Germany.
• 436 - Romans complete withdrawel from Britain.
• 449 – Traditional date for the beginning of Anglo-Saxon Settlement.
• 450-480 – First (surviving) Old English (OE) runic inscriptions.
• 597 - St Augustine arrives in Britain.
• c700 – First manuscript records of OE.
• 792 - Vikings raid Britain.
• 871 – Alfred becomes King of Wessex and translates from Latin to OE.
• 995…