#877 Was English Once on the Verge of Extinction? from Radiotalk

There was a time when the language of the ruling class was entirely French.

When England was conquered during the Norman Conquest, the language of kings, nobles, politics, law, and even the church was replaced by French. For about 100 years thereafter, a series of kings who did not speak English reigned, creating a situation almost unimaginable from a modern perspective.

There is a historical reason why we call cattle 'beef'.

Interestingly, the class divide of that era remains deeply embedded in modern English vocabulary. The story of how meat on the dinner table was referred to by French-derived words used by the elite, while the living 'livestock' were called by English-derived words used by commoners, highlights the intimate connection between language and society.

An unexpected event saved the language from a desperate situation.

The survival of English, which barely persisted as the language of the common people, and its eventual return to prominence was driven not only by the sheer number of speakers but also by a major historical turning point. Please listen to the full episode to find out how English reclaimed its status.