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In the middle ages the upper landed classes often spoke a kind of Norman French, and their legal code and other official documents were written in Latin. The king and court used a courtly French. Everyone else spoke a form of old/medieval English. There would have been Spanish, German and Italian speakers, from settlers/visitors from other "European" countries, as well as lesser known languages such as Dutch, Flemish and other dialects across Spain, France and Germany. I would imagine there would also be speakers of Hebrew (from the fluctuating Jewish population) and occasional speakers of Arabic (esp. from soldiers coming back from the Crusades).
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∙ 15y ago
During the Middle Ages, Old English was the dominant language spoken in England. However, Norman French was also used by the ruling class after the Norman Conquest in 1066. Additionally, Latin was used for religious and scholarly purposes. Over time, these languages influenced each other, leading to the development of Middle English.
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Why was English only regularly spoken by the common people?
English became the common language spoken by common people in England due to historical events such as the Norman Conquest in 1066 and the decline of Latin as a spoken language. The emergence of English as a widely spoken language also coincided with the spread of printing press and literature in English in the late Middle Ages.
Where did standard English originate?
Standard English originated in England, specifically in the East Midlands region. It developed from the dialects spoken in that area during the Middle Ages and was later influenced by the language of the London court and administration. Standard English gradually spread throughout Britain and eventually became the accepted form of the language.
When was French spoken in France?
French has been spoken in France since the Middle Ages, evolving from Latin and other regional languages. By the 16th century, French became the official language of the French kingdom and has been the predominant language spoken in France ever since.
What was the difference between common languages and the official language in the middle ages?
During the Middle Ages, common languages were the languages spoken by the general population in different regions, such as English, French, or German. The official language was typically a language used for official documents, government communication, and literature, often Latin or a language associated with the ruling power, like French in England after the Norman Conquest.
What is the Vernacular Indic language in use from about300BC to the Middle Ages?
The Vernacular Indic language that was in use from around 300 BC to the Middle Ages is Prakrit. It was commonly spoken among the people in various regions of India during that time period and served as the language of everyday communication alongside Sanskrit.
What languages were spoken by Romani people speak in the middle ages?
gypsy language
What languages were spoken by people who had little education in the middle ages?
That depended on what country you're talking about and what century you're talking about. For example, in England in the 1300s, uneducated people mainly spoke dialects of Middle English.
What three languages were widely used in England during the middle ages?
English was spoken in the Middle Ages. Today it is referred to as Old English or Anglo Saxon, or Middle English. It was also used for recording the Anglo Saxon Chronicle and for other written works. Latin was used by the Church. French was used by the aristocracy after the Norman Conquest. Other languages were also spoken widely. During the 10th century, most of northern England was under the control of Danes, so Danish was important. Also Welsh, Cornish, and other Celtic language were spoken in some areas.
What was the dialect in the middle ages?
The Middle Ages did not occur in only one country. Each country had its own dialect. Some languages spoken in the Middle Ages were: Medieval Latin Old English Old French Medieval High German Welsh Coptic Tocharian Mongol See the Related Link for more information.
Did queen Victoria of England rule druing the middle ages?
did the queen of England, Victoria rule during the middle ages?
How many families ruled England in the middle ages?
how many families ruled in the middle ages
What language did common people in England during the middle ages speak?
Because people didn't travel too far back then, there were many more local languages and dialects. So there was no single language that "most" people spoke. The educated classes - priests, scribes, and the like - generally spoke Latin or Greek or both.
When in history was Latin spoken?
From the time of the Roman Empire through the Middle Ages.
How many languages were spoken in the middle ages?
Latin was used everywhere in Western Europe during the Middle Ages, but only by scholars, lawyers, and the Church. Greek was used in the Byzantine Empire for just about everything. Aside from those two, vernacular languages were many and varied. Some of them were ancestors to modern language. Old High German evolved into High German, and Old English into English. A few languages, such as the Gothic languages used by Visigoths, Ostrogoths, and related groups, died out.
Was middle ages England a country or a city?
Country
When and where was heraldry created?
In England during the Middle Ages
What language is Irish based on?
Irish is not based on any language, but it is a Celtic language, closely related to Scottish Gaelic and Manx, all of which came from a common Gaelic language called Middle Irish or Middle Gaelic that was spoken in the Middle Ages. The three languages were all mutually intelligible for centuries thereafter, but have since split into three distinct languages. Ultimately, all of them can be traced back to Proto-Celtic, which was the common Celtic language spoken in antiquity, from which not only the Gaelic languages, but also the Brythonic languages (Welsh, Cornish, and Breton), as well as a host of now-dead languages also descended.
