The history of the Danish language may be divided into three main periods: Old Danish (800-1100), Middle Danish (1100-1500), and Modern Danish (from 1500). By about 1500, the chief characteristics of Danish had evolved, and it began to be used as a national language.
Danish had virtually completed its grammatical development by the beginning of the 18th century, and it became a significant cultural and literary language. In the 19th and 20th centuries, fewer dialects were spoken, the interaction between spoken and written language increased, and the vocabulary expanded through the assimilation of German, French, and English words, including many technical terms.
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