Defining the outcome of language contact: Old English and Old Norse

Abstract

The English language throughout its 1500 year history has been impacted by socio-historical developments & changes. One such development took place in Old English: the invasion of England by Norse tribes from c. 800-1000 A.D. was a series of events which had a significant & lasting impact on all areas of the English language. The nature of that social situation & the linguistic outcome is of interest in contact linguistics; in particular, the application by some of terms such as creolization & creole to this process & its outcome has been controversial. In this paper, I examine the English-Norse contact situation & its effects on English & propose that the linguistic outcome of this contact was a koine, & show that this account can better describe the effects of this contact situation on the English language. Appendixes, References. Adapted from the source document