THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE FROM OLD ENGLISH TO MODERN ENGLISH

The English language has undergone significant transformations over more than fifteen centuries, evolving from a Germanic dialect spoken by early Anglo-Saxon settlers into a global lingua franca. This article examines the historical development of English through its main stages: Old English, Middle English, Early Modern English, and Modern English. Each period is analyzed in terms of phonological, grammatical, lexical, and sociolinguistic changes. Special attention is given to the influence of historical events such as the Viking invasions, the Norman Conquest, and the expansion of the British Empire. The study highlights how language contact, social change, and technological development contributed to the simplification of grammar and enrichment of vocabulary. The findings demonstrate that English evolved from a highly inflected language into a more analytical language with global reach and functional diversity.