Political Influences on the Changes in the English Language

Early Political Influences

The rise of kingdoms in Medieval England saw the shaping of the English language as Latin and French were the languages of the educated, religious, and governing elite.
Old English evolved into Middle English. The political dominance of Norman French post-1066 consolidated French’s impact on English, particularly in legal, government, and ecclesiastical language.

Influence of Nation States

The establishment of nation states saw the use of language as an essential tool for political propaganda. The increasing standardisation of English was tied to the nation-building projects.
The creation of the Printing Press by Johannes Gutenberg around 1440 saw a consolidation of English’s linguistic variety, and London English became the accepted standard form.

Influence of Colonialism and Imperialism

British colonisation and the spread of the British Empire led to the spread of English globally. English often replaced native languages or coexisted with them, leading to the birth of new linguistic varieties and pidgin languages.
Imperialism saw the borrowing and Anglicising of words from other languages; for example, words like ‘bungalow’, ‘jungle’, ‘pyjamas’, and ‘shampoo’ are from Indian languages.

Modern Political Influences

20th-century decolonisation spurred a linguistic independence movement in many former colonies, leading to influences from local languages and dialects on English.
Laws and directives issued by the government, such as the simplification of spelling or the prevention of foreign borrowings, can impact language change.
Interactions at a higher political level can significantly impact language change. For instance, the increasing global influence of the United States has resulted in the spread of American-English.

Globalisation and English

In the era of globalisation, English has become the de facto lingua franca of international politics, which has solidified its global spread and influence.
Coined language in political commentary and diplomacy such as ‘Brexit’, ‘shutdown’, and ‘sequestration’ is often quickly integrated into everyday usage.
International political and economic institutions such as the United Nations, World Bank, and International Monetary Fund conduct their affairs primarily in English, further cementing its status.

Effect of Political Revolutions

Political revolutions can drastically impact language development, as seen in the emergence of American English after the American Revolution.
Major political events like the fall of the Berlin Wall and the breakup of the Soviet Union have even influenced English by incorporating terms associated with these events.

Overall, politics, both domestic and global, has a tremendous influence on the English language and continues to shape it in diverse ways. These influences can be seen in the inclusion of new words, changes in spelling and grammar, and shifts in usage and dialect.