The evolution of vocabulary during the Middle English period

Abstract

In this article, the evolution of English vocabulary during the Middle English period is analyzed from historical and linguistic perspectives. The study highlights how extensive contact with Old Norse and Norman French profoundly influenced the lexicon, leading to the emergence of a richer and more diverse vocabulary. It examines major lexical changes such as word borrowing, semantic shift, and the gradual decline of inflectional morphology that characterized this transitional stage between Old and Modern English. Furthermore, attention is given to the role of social, cultural, and political factors—particularly the Norman Conquest—in shaping the linguistic landscape of the time.