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What is the distinction between the terms Old English and Anglo-Saxon?

A) They are the same
B) Old English refers to a language, while Anglo-Saxon refers to a people
C) Anglo-Saxon refers to a language, while Old English refers to a people
D) They are both extinct languages

1 Answer

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Final answer:

Old English refers to a language, while Anglo-Saxon refers to a people. Old English is the language spoken by the Anglo-Saxons, while Anglo-Saxon refers to the Germanic peoples who conquered England in the 5th century.

Step-by-step explanation:

The distinction between the terms Old English and Anglo-Saxon is that Old English refers to a language, while Anglo-Saxon refers to a people.

Old English is the language spoken by the Anglo-Saxons, who were a group of Germanic peoples that settled in the British Isles during the 5th and 6th centuries. It is the earliest form of the English language and was spoken from approximately the 5th to the 12th century. Examples of Old English texts include the epic poem Beowulf.

Anglo-Saxon refers to the Germanic peoples who conquered England in the 5th century and formed the ruling class until the Norman conquest. The term can also refer to the people in what is now Germany. Anglo-Saxon culture and history are a significant part of the early history of England.

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