Early English

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Early English (Anglo-Saxon, or Old English) English language from c.450 to 1100. It constitutes the earliest form of English, directly descended from the Germanic languages of the early Anglo-Saxons. It had a vocabulary of c.50,000 words. It comprised four main dialects: Northumbrian, Mercian, Kentish, and West Saxon. The best of Early English literature, such as the epic poem Beowulf, was written in Northumbrian. West Saxon became the chief dialect as a result of Alfred the Great's unification of England.

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Early English

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