Europe has been marked by territories since 1000AD. But how have these borders changed, and what effect does this have on languages? Last week, we blogged about a map by cartographer Eric Fischer which showed the languages of Twitter users across the world, and how these defied the physical borders of provinces and nations. Today, we were amazed to stumble across this time lapse map of Europe from 1000 AD to 2005 AD. As the video fast forwards, it offers a breathtaking glimpse into the continent’s shifting borders as a result of alliances, unions, territories and occupied land. Imagine how languages and cultures have been forced to adapt throughout this process, with local dialects clashing with national tongues, and regional communities at the border forced to assimilate with their changing sovereignty.
