Reading # 2

In the Beginning

            After reading this chapter I realized that the history of English language is very similar to the history of other languages such as Spanish, German, Russian and French. All those languages confronted many changes because of the invasion of other cultures. They also have a history of violence since their origins.

            In this chapter McCrum cites the Roman historian Tacitus who wrote about the German tribes. He argued that even though those tribes lived simple and uncomplicated lives, they also used to practice certain savage rituals that made others consider them as violent people. For example, they sacrificed slaves, drowning them in a lake in honoring of Nerthus, the goddess Mother Earth. One of those ‘barbarous tribes was ‘the Anglii’, better known to history as the Angles”.( McCrum).

            Little by little McCrum introduced the readers into the story by telling anecdotes that make them understand the process that English language suffered in order to become the world’s language. All those anecdotes were related to the fact that English was influenced by its conquerors who contributed with the development of English culture and language. However, “English was slightly different, by virtue of its location”. English inherited “an European Latin tradition from Roma; an independent vernacular culture from Anglo-Saxons and a strong sense of national identity from the Vikings”.(McCrum).

            Another reason for the English culture and language development was its location. The sea was very important because it gave islanders the opportunity to become “sailors, merchants, explorers and empire builders.”