ingilisc

ingilisc is a variant spelling of the modern English language name that appears occasionally in historical sources and in some contemporary niche contexts. The form is derived from the Old English word englisc, which itself came from the name of the Anglo-Saxons' people, the Engle. In medieval Latin texts, the word was sometimes transliterated as "ingilisc" or "inglis," leading to the modern variant that is occasionally found in older English dictionaries under the entry for early English.

The spelling ingilisc is not widely used in mainstream linguistic scholarship or in everyday reference works. It is primarily encountered in specialized studies of Anglo-Saxon literature or in discussions of the historical development of the English language. In some regional dialects or community traditions, especially within some Anglo-Saxon heritage groups in the United States and United Kingdom, the form is used as a marker of cultural identity, though it is not standard in formal writing.

While the term ingilisc shares its origin with the standard English language name, it does not denote a separate linguistic variant. The modern English language remains the same as described by linguists under the name English. The variant spelling is considered a linguistic footnote rather than a distinct entity.

See also englisch, englis, inglish.