How has the colonization of the British Isles affected the spread of English in Celtic-speaking territories? Illustrate your discussion with reference to the colonization of Ireland.

Thesis

There was a great impact for the colonization of the British Isles on the spread of English in the Celtic-speaking territories which was connected to the arrival of the Germanic tribes in 449 AD.

Discussion

In the early fifth century, the Romans withdrew from England which made a great political vacuum that helped tribes from the north to attack the Celts of the south and this made this ask for help from areas abroad and in the case of Ireland, help came from the Anglo-Norman neighbors in Wales and this heralded the English invasion for Ireland in the 12^th century. The Celtic languages in England declined and this began after the 5^th century AD when people spoke Celtic languages but the Brittonic languages began to prevail gradually as a result of the arrival in Britain of the settlers whose language was the Germanic and it was then realized as old English.

The Celtic speakers then gradually use old English but as they didn't travel to Brittany, the language gained some of the Celtic languages as Germanic speakers began to use some of the local language and this helped create the shift in the old English in many areas at different times and then modern English was created to cope with the new society.

The end of the 12^th century witnessed the coming of the Wales to Ireland and their settlement which led to many borrowings from the Irish language into English, for example the words: Chamber, flour, warrantee and the Anglo-Normans settled in the country after defeating the chieftains of Ireland and they spoke a language that is mixed with Irish and French.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is important to refer to the impact of the colonization of the British Isles on the decline of the Celtic languages and in the spread of the English language such as what occurred in Ireland and the appearance of modern English with the new borrowed words from different areas.