1. Old English: This is the language spoken in England from roughly 450 AD to 1150 AD. It is the language of the Anglo-Saxons and the foundation of modern English. It provided the basic vocabulary for everyday things like "bread", "house", and "water".
2. Norman French: Following the Norman Conquest of 1066, French became the language of the ruling class. This led to a large influx of French words into the English language, particularly in areas related to law, government, and culture. Examples include words like "justice", "parliament", and "romance".
These two reservoirs have combined to create the rich and complex language we know today as modern English.