The English language is approximately 1,400 years old. It originated from West Germanic dialects brought to Britain by the Anglo-Saxons during their migration in the mid-5th century
. This earliest form of English is known as Old English or Anglo-Saxon, spoken roughly from the 5th century until the late 11th century
. Old English developed from Germanic dialects spoken by the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes, and was dominant in Britain by the 7th century, replacing earlier Celtic and Latin languages spoken there
. The language evolved through several stages: Old English (c. 450–1150), Middle English (1150–1500), Early Modern English (1500–1650), and Modern English (after 1650)
. While English as we know it today did not exist 1,400 years ago, its roots lie in these early Germanic dialects, and many basic English words still derive from Old English
. The language has since undergone significant changes influenced by Norse, Norman French, Latin, and other languages. In summary, the English language began forming in the early medieval period around the 5th century, making it about 1,400 years old
