By Donna Faturos Languages change and evolve.
Words enter a language in a variety of ways while others fall into disuse and disappear.
Even the rules of grammar change. Beginning in the fifth century with the withdrawal of the Roman legions from Britain and continuing over hundreds of years, successive waves of these Germanic warriors migrated to the British Isles, displacing the Celtic inhabitants who fled to Scotland, Ireland, Wales, Cornwall and across the English Channel to Brittany. Stories abound of the Celts, in particular one king, Arthur, who remained in England to fight against the invaders. That areas of England in which Celtic place names are common still exist presents the possibility that at least some Celts remained after the Germanic invasion. In addition, some of our cherished Easter and Christmas symbols have their origins in the religious beliefs of the Anglo-Saxons.