History of the English Language

Language Terminologylinguistics: The study of the nature and structure of language and languages.cognate: Descended from a common ancestor; of the same family.etymology: An explanation of the origin of a word and a description of the changes it has gone through in its history.slang: Language that is generally new and highly informal. It is often used by a particular group of people to set themselves apart from others. Often slang words do not stay around long enough to be included in a dictionary. Slang is not considered appropriate in formal writing.colloquialism: A word, phrase or form of pronunciation that is acceptable in casual conversation, but not in formal, written communication. Although informal, colloquialisms are more acceptable than slang.vernacular: Vernacular refers to the native language of a country or a locality. In general linguistics, it is used to describe local languages as opposed to official standards or global languages. It is sometimes applied to non-standard dialects of a global language.coin: To invent a new word or phrase.

usage: The customary use of words, expressions, and language constructions as opposed to what is prescribed.lexicon: A special vocabulary; hence, a list of words.jargon: Terminology which has been especially defined in relationship to a specific activity, profession, or group. In other words, the term covers the language used by people who work in a particular area of who have a common interest.lingo: Similar to jargon—a vocabulary used by a particular group.euphemism: The use of a word or phrase to replace another and that is considered less offensive or less vulgar than the word or phrase it replaces.vulgarity: An offensive or obscene word or phrase.blasphemy: Expressing disrespect for God or for something sacred.profanity: Profanity has traditionally been used to refer to items not belonging to the church. Now it is understood as cursing, vulgar, or irreverent speech or action.swear word: A word considered taboo and impolite or offensive.

"A Brief Look at the Evolution of the English Language“http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GuY8-2EbWRs

  Old English (c. 1000 AD)Faeder ur pu pe eart on heofonum, si pin nama gehalgod. To becume pin rice. Gewurpe pin willa on eorcan swa swa on heofonum. Urne gedaeghwamlican hlaf syle us to daeg. And forgyf us ure gyltas, swa swa we forgyfae urum gyltedum. And ne gelaed pu us on costnungen ac alys us of yfele. Sodlice. 

Middle English (c. 1400 AD)Oure fadir that art in heuenes halowid be thi name, thi kyngdom come to, be thi wille don in erthe es in heuene, yeue to us this day oure bread ouir other substance, & foryeue to us oure dettis, as we forgeuen to oure dettouris, & lede us not in to temptacion: but delyuer us from yuel, amen. 

Early Modern EnglishOur father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdome come. Thy will be done, in earth as it is in heaven. Giue vs this day our dayly bread. And forgiue vs our debts, as we forgiue our debters. And leade vs not into temptation, but deliuer vs from euill: for thine is the kingdome, and the power, and the glory, for euer, Amen. 

Contemporary EnglishOur Father, who is in heaven, may your name be kept holy. May your kingdom come into being. May your will be followed on earth, just as it is in heaven. Give us this day our food for the day. And forgive us our offenses, just as we forgive those who have offended us. And do not bring us to the test. But free us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours forever. Amen.  (http://benturner.com/other/english.php)

1. What is a dialect?

2. Using the chart on page 340, trace the roots of the English language.

3. What years are considered the period of Old English?

4. Who are the Germanic tribes?

5. What are Anglo-Saxon and Old English?

Regional differences in pronunciation, grammar, words and expressions, and in their meanings.

Indo European (5000 years ago) Germanic West branch Anglo-Friesen English

Old English 450 – 1100; Roman invasion under Julius Caesar 55 BCE then again 45 AD, they would control Britain for 400 years, taking us to the middle of 5th century.

The Germanic tribes (Angles, Saxons and Jutes) invaded Britain (drove the Celts to Wales, Ireland and Scotland) .

The blend of dialects resulting from the German invasions creates Anglo-Saxon = Old English.

6. How much of Old English is found in Modern English?

7. Look at the chart on page 344. Translate the list starting with “mann”.

8. What other languages influenced the development of English at this time?

9. Who were the Vikings?

10. What is Beowulf? Why is it important?

Accounts for 1/5 of our words.

mann = man wïf = wife cild = child hūs = house mete = meatlēaf = leaf horn = horn hearpe = harp hæt = hat gyrdel = girdleglof = glove etan = eat drincan = drink slāēpan = sleeping

Latin (courtesy of St. Augustine and his monks) and Scandinavian

Scandinavian invaders arrived during the 8th and 9th centuries. Intermarriages with Anglo-Saxons would bring Old Norse words into useage.

One of the earliest known pieces of writing. It is an epic poem written in the early 700s. The story reflects the customs and traditions of early Old English (use of kennings = hyphenated word blends to compensate for a limited lexicon; e.g. whale-road = sea)

11. What years are considered Middle English?

KINDERLY  kinderly  is now my coming My arrival here is naturaliInto this werld with thres and cry, Into this world with tears and crying;litel and povere is min having, What I have is not much, and poor at that,britel and sone i falle from hi, Frail and all too quickly I have fallen from on high,scharpe and strong is my deying, My death is sharp and severe,I ne woth whinder schal I, I do not know where I am going,Foul and stinkande is my roting, Foul and stinking, I rot,On me, Jhesu, you have mercy! O Jesus, have mercy on me!  Middle English

12. Who were the Normans?

1100 – 1450 referred to as the Medeival times or Middle Ages.

Norman invaders under William the Conquerer would take over Britain. They would introduce French to the upper classes and increase the English language by as estimated 10 000 words (many of which are synonyms for English words; e.g. odour = smell. French additions typically were multi-syllabic, whereas the Old English words are most often are a single syllable.

13. Who wrote the Canterbury Tales?About The Canterbury Tales:

Geoffrey Chaucer wrote The Canterbury Tales, a collection of stories in a frame story, between 1387 and 1400. It is the story of a group of thirty people who travel as pilgrims to Canterbury (England). The pilgrims, who come from all layers of society, tell stories to each other to kill time while they travel to Canterbury. He never finished his enormous project and even the completed tales were not finally revised. Scholars are uncertain about the order of the tales. As the printing press had yet to be invented when Chaucer wrote his works, The Canterbury Tales has been passed down in several handwritten manuscripts.

About General Prologue:The General Prologue is the key to The Canterbury tales that narrates about the gathering of a group of people in an inn that intend to go on a pilgrimage to Canterbury (England) next morning. In the General Prologue, the narrator of The Canterbury Tales, who is one of the intended pilgrims, provides more or less accurate depictions of the members of the group and describes why and how The Canterbury Tales is told. If we trust the General Prologue, Chaucer determined that each pilgrim should tell two tales on the way to Canterbury and two tales on the way back. The host of the inn offers to be and is appointed as judge of the tales as they are told and is supposed to determine the best hence winning tale.

http://www.librarius.com/canttran/gptrfs.htm

From The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer:General PrologueHere bygynneth the Book of the Tales of Caunterbury        Whan that Aprill, with his shoures sooteThe droghte of March hath perced to the rooteAnd bathed every veyne in swich licour,Of which vertu engendred is the flour;Whan Zephirus eek with his sweete breethInspired hath in every holt and heethThe tendre croppes, and the yonge sonneHath in the Ram his halfe cours yronne,And smale foweles maken melodye,That slepen al the nyght with open eye-(So priketh hem Nature in hir corages);Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimagesAnd palmeres for to seken straunge strondesTo ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;And specially from every shires endeOf Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende,The hooly blisful martir for to sekeThat hem hath holpen, whan that they were seeke.      

 When in April the sweet showers fallThat pierce March's drought to the root and allAnd bathed every vein in liquor that has powerTo generate therein and sire the flower;When Zephyr also has with his sweet breath,Filled again, in every holt and heath,The tender shoots and leaves, and the young sunHis half-course in the sign of the Ram has run,And many little birds make melodyThat sleep through all the night with open eye(So Nature pricks them on to ramp and rage)Then folk do long to go on pilgrimage,And palmers to go seeking out strange strands,To distant shrines well known in distant lands.And specially from every shire's endOf England they to Canterbury went,The holy blessed martyr there to seekWho helped them when they lay so ill and weak

14. How did Old English change to Middle English?

15. What years do we consider Modern English?

16. Who was Johannes Gutenberg? William Caxton?

1 – loss of ð (th) 2 – alphabet modernized 3 – suffixes showing word relationships disappear 4 – word order 5 – French word origins

1450 - present

German, Johannes Gutenbury invented the printing press in 15th c. Caxton would pring the first books in English in 1476. This allows spelling and syntax (word order and arrangement) to become standardized. Therefore Caxton’s dialogue becomes the dominate one = standard English. Reading materials can be mass produced leading to increased literacy and the beginning of popular literature.

17. Why were the Tudors important?

18. Why are there so many different dialects in the United States?

19. What are the two official languages of Canada?

20. Who was John Cabot? Jacques Cartier?

British monarchs launch the modern age with exploration, colonization and trade spreading the British language

Three waves of settlement from different parts of England, their subsequent migration and the merging with immigrants from other countries accounts for the variety.

English and French

Cabot who is British arrives in 1497, Cartier who is French arrived in 1520. They were early explorers who would be followed by settlers from their homelands. In the late 1700s, the Acadian French were deported to Louisianna (explains French Patois there), British Loyalists from the U.S. take their place first in the East, then migrating to Upper Canada.

21. What is Canadian English?

22. How has Canada broadened its vocabulary?

23. Summarize in point form the role of English in the Caribbean, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, former Colonial Africa, South Asia, South Pacific and Southeast Asia.

Canadian English blends American and British English

With additional aboriginal and immigrant influences, we take on new words and force them to fit our grammar and syntax.

Caribbean – African slaves brought to the Caribbean and Americas; they were forced into mixed language groups in order to eliminate their ability to communicate with one another; this results in new pidgin languages mixing French, Spanish, Portuguese and even African dialects.

Australia – used as a “penal colony” Australia is settled by British immigrants. Speech characteristics reflect these origins.

New Zealand – a British colony the British accent is stronger here, a distinct N.Z. vocabulary develops to identify them as different from Aussies and to incorporate Maori words and expressions.

South Africa – European settlers began to arrive in the late 18th c.; a similar accent to that of Australia, this English dialect called Afrikaans was spoken by the white South African community but has gained popularity within the black population as a opportunity to fight oppression

Former Colonial Africa – by 1914 the entire African continent is divided into European colonies; British colonies monopolized the Western coast; the language developed here is more akin to that of South Africa.

South Asia – British rule in trade and eventual rule in India established English as the language of British power, subjugating the people of India to their rule.

South Pacific –18th c. British missions and subsequent American presence creates a strong presence of English in the area

Southeast Asia – given the power of the British and Americans in global politics during the last half of the last millennium, the English language became necessary fro education and advancement… even becoming the second official language in Hong Kong!