Social pressure and promotion

 

Normally, adopting a foreign language as your own provides some added value. What added value could English provide to the alleged Celtic Britons?

The Roman society had been reasonably open. Roman law was applicable to every citizen. The nobility of one's family was not mandatory to access the highest ranks. Careers were very much possible.

Many Roman emperors came out of 'nowhere'. The British co-emperor Constantine III is such an example. He was qualified by his contemporaries as 'a man without nobility' ('sin nobilitas', or s.nob.). We have no idea from where he suddenly 'popped up'.

The knowledge of Latin was necessary if one wanted to make a career in the Roman administration, or in the Roman army or, later, in the Roman Church. Latin opened the doors to promotions. Speaking Latin in daily life meant that you had ambitions or that you had become a part of the upper-class.

By contrast, the Anglo-Saxon society was completely closed. Power and rank was and remained a family matter. Climbing the social ladder, the ascent to power, was almost excluded. Birth determined what rank you had, not the knowledge of a language, not even knowledge in general. Speaking English as a daily language provided therefore little advantage. Why would the British change their language? This would improve by no means their daily situation. On the contrary, speaking English as if it was your own language, could make other people suspicious that you were frauding with your actual rank in society.

With the fall of the Roman Empire, the existing schooling system became redundant. Only the Catholic Church would continue to teach Latin. In addition, there are no indications that the Anglo-Saxons organized schools.

The legal system during the Roman Empire encouraged a language transition.
The legal system during Anglo-Saxon period discouraged a language transition.

The statement that the Anglo-Saxons spread English because they were in power can therefore be challenged.