Old English corpus of runic inscriptions from the 5th to 7th centuries, but the oldest coherent runic texts (notably the Franks Casket) date to the 8th century. The Old English Latin alphabet was introduced around the 9th century. With the unification of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms (outside the Danelaw) by Alfred the Great in the later 9th century, the language of government and literature became standardised around the West Saxon dialect (Early West Saxon). Alfred advocated education in English alongside Latin, and had many works translated into the English language; some of them, such as Pope Gregory I's treatise "Pastoral Care", appear to
Influence of French on English from the 1066 conquest that proto-English became massively impregnated with Old French, then modern French. It should be noted, however, that only French influenced English in the centuries following the conquest. The reverse contribution of English to French was only real from the eighteenth century. The arrival of William the Conqueror and his barons significantly changed the linguistic situation in England. Norman was essentially imposed in the upper layers of society. The Anglo-Saxon dialects were supplanted by Norman in the circles of the court and aristocracy, justice and the Church. The influential circles, who came from Normandy and settled in