NormanEnglish

NormanEnglish refers to the dialect of Old English spoken in England after the Norman Conquest of 1066. The Norman invaders spoke Old Norman, a dialect of Old French. For a period, England had three languages: Norman French for the ruling class, Latin for the church and official documents, and Old English for the common people. Over time, Norman French and Old English began to merge, influencing each other significantly.

The influence of Norman French on English was profound. It introduced a vast number of new vocabulary words, particularly in areas such as government, law, fashion, and cuisine. Words like "parliament," "judge," "beef," and "fashion" are examples of Norman French contributions. The grammatical structure of English also underwent changes, becoming less inflected and more analytical, a process that was likely accelerated by the interaction between speakers of different languages.

This period of linguistic fusion eventually led to the development of Middle English, a transitional stage between Old English and Modern English. The language spoken during this era, often called Anglo-Norman or NormanEnglish, was characterized by its mixed vocabulary and simplified grammar. While the exact boundaries and terminology can be debated among scholars, the term NormanEnglish generally describes the English language as it was spoken and evolving in the centuries following the Norman Conquest, reflecting a significant shift in its character and vocabulary due to French influence.