Introduction 2
1. History 3
2. Native words 4
3. Influence of other languages 5 3.1 Latin influence 5 3.2 Norse influence 7 3.3 Celtic influence 8 4.Word-building means in Old English 8 5. Ways of word-formation 8 6. Conclusion 10 7. List of the literature used 11
Introduction Old English was not static, and its usage covered a period of 700 years, from the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain in the 5th century to the late 11th century, sometime after the Norman invasion.
Examination of the origin of words is of great interest in establishing the interrelations between languages and linguistic groups. Word etymology throws light on the history of the speaking community and on its contacts with other peoples.
The Old English language, as is believed by many scholars, was formed during the period from the 5th century to the Norman Conquest of 1066. However, some of the