2007-05-24 09:38:10 · 23 answers · asked by lcd 1 in Arts & Humanities ➔ History
It was English but different to how we know it now.... think of Shakespeare and how they speak in his plays.
2007-05-24 09:43:03 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 2⤋
English
2007-05-26 00:09:04 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Technically, modern English, although if you Shakespeare it does sound a bit old hat, but it's perfectly comprehensible, even with the wide range of second person pronouns.
Definately not Old English though. Old English was around before 1066, and we wouldn't be able to understand it at all, in many ways it's more akin to Dutch and the other West Germanic languages than modern English.
The upper classes would have known latin or french, or both, but even for them English would have been the first language. Only exceptions would have been the Cornish, where a fair number still spoke Cornish.
2007-05-24 11:58:10 · answer #3 · answered by AndyB 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
English
2007-05-24 09:40:24 · answer #4 · answered by barn owl 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
English. Not Old English or even Middle English, but early Modern, as in Shakespeare or Jonson. Words we no longer use, and different grammar, to be sure, but definitely English. Probably some thees & thous & arts & withals, too.
The educated likely knew Latin & French at least, but religious services (C of E, Calvinists, etc.) were in the vernacular, and many of the official documents were now in English as well. There would have been spots that spoke a variation of Gaelic, but mostly over the borders in Scotland, Wales, Ireland; Cornish in Cornwall. The Court stopped speaking primarily French a century or 2 earlier.
2007-05-24 10:00:14 · answer #5 · answered by Library Queen 2 · 5⤊ 0⤋
English.
2007-05-25 02:53:42 · answer #6 · answered by djoldgeezer 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Middle English (1066 - 1500 CE)
The period of Middle English begins with the Norman invasion of 1066 CE. King Edward the Confessor had died without heirs, and William, Duke of Normandy, believed that he would become the next king. However, upon learning that Harold was crowned king, William invaded England, killed Harold and crowned himself king during the famous Battle of Hastings. Yet William spoke only French. As a result, the upper class in England began to speak French while the lower classes spoke English.
Try this website www,ielanguages.com (worth a look at)
Tina
2007-05-24 09:58:28 · answer #7 · answered by Corndolly 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Olde English!
2007-05-24 09:41:20 · answer #8 · answered by ???? 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
English. The same language we speak today - look at Shakespeare for example. Other languages were dominant in other parts of Britain,such as Welsh and Gaelic, but in England, English ruled.
2007-05-24 09:44:27 · answer #9 · answered by Brian H 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Ye Olde English
2007-05-25 04:35:45 · answer #10 · answered by lilian c 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
English. Although French had been the language of the Royal Court
2007-05-24 09:50:21 · answer #11 · answered by proud walker 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋