Historical English and Derivation

The English language was not native to Britain. It was preceded by Celtic and to some extent by Latin, before the occupation of the island by English settlers from the Continent.

The language spoken by the ancient Britons was a form of Celtic, similar to what was spoken by kindred tribes in Wales and Cornwall. The English, when they came, paid no attention to this Celtic speech, though they picked up a few words accidentally; but after their conversion to Christianity they adopted the same forms of the Roman letters as those used by the conquered Britons.
Latin. So long as Britain was a Roman province, Latin was the language of the camps "and of the ruling class, and during the last two centuries of the Roman occupation it was the language of the Church also. In the neighbourhood of the forts and monasteries, wherever Roman influence was dominant, a popular form of Latin was already springing up.

Content:

1. Historical Outline
Section 1. English and Cognate Languages 2. Old English 3. Middle English 4. Modern English
2. Borrowings
Section 1. Celtic
2. Danish or Later Scandian
3. Dutch
4. Latin
5. French
6. Greek
7. Modern Borrowings: Miscellaneous
3. Sounds and Symbols
Section 1. Alphabet, Present and Past 2. Consonants    
3. Vowels and Diphthongs
4. Spellings
Section 1. History of English Spelling 2. Summary of English Spellings
5. Accentuation, Syllabic Division
Section 1. Words of Native or Teutonic Origin 2.Words of French or Latin Origin 3. Syllabic Division
6. Accidence
Section 1. The Forms of Nouns 2.The Forms of Adjectives 3. The Forms of Pronouns
5. The Forms of Adverbs 6.The Forms of Prepositions 7. The Forms of Conjunctions
7. Syntax
Section 1. Syntax of Cases
2. Syntax of Adjectives
3. Syntax of Pronouns
4. Syntax of Verbs
5. The Complex Sentence
8. Compound Words
Section 1. Unrelated or Juxta-positional Compounds
2. Related or Syntactical Compounds
3. Disguised Compounds
4. Mistaken or Apparent Compounds
5. Hybrid Compounds
9. Teutonic Prefixes and Suffixes
Section 1. Prefixes
2. Suffixes
10. Romanic Prefixes and Suffixes
Section 1.Prefixes
2. Suffixes
11. Greek Prefixes and Suffixes
Section 1.Prefixes
2.  Suffixes
12. Summary of Results in Prefixes and Suffixes
13. Bilingualism, Doublets, Grimm's Law, Verner's Law
APPENDIX I. Note on Vocalic Sounds by Prof. Skeat
II. List of Doublets
QUESTIONS on Historical English and Derivation
INDEX   
I. Of Subjects
II Of Selected Words and Phrases