Uploaded October 2024 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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During the Middle English period (c1100-c1500) English changed so much in terms of vocabulary and grammar as a result of the Norman conquests that some say that English had become a French Creole. Is this true? We investigate.

SOME SOURCES
David Crystal - The Glamorous Story of English Grammar amzn.to/3NE7UgJ (affiliate link)
John McWhorter - Our Magnificent Bastard tongue amzn.to/3NFSQiC (affiliate link)
Origins of the English language - J.M. Williams
historyofenglishpodcast.com by Kevin Stroud (highly recommended)

00:00 Some interesting facts
01:24 What is a creole?
04:49 Why are there so many French words?
06:35 French grammar influence
16:51 so whadayathink?