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The Origins of the English Language
Christian Era
Western EuropeWestern Europe Celtic-Speaking
South
Germanic-Speaking North
The linguistic geography of Europe
Britain and
Ireland
Colonized by different groups of Celtic speakers
Latin
They moved into Roman territory
Latin spread through
Modern Italy
Spain
Portugal
Most of Britain
France
Germany
The Roman Empire collapses
Latin disappears on the periphery
Including
Africa
South Germany
Britain
Latin survives in the central areas
of Continental Europe
At the beginning of the Christian
Era
At the beginning of the Christian
EraGermanics lived in Northern Europe
German Mix of dialects in South Denmark
North Sea coast dialects
Weser/Rhine dialects
Dutch and
Flemish
Coastal dialects
Denmark and Norway dialects
Weser/Rhine dialects
English
Contact between tribal groups led to mutual influence
Germanic mercenaries were recruited into the
Roman army
Germanic mercenaries were recruited into the
Roman army
Most of them gave up their language to adopt Latin
Most of them gave up their language to adopt Latin
The Franks spread up the
Rhine and across the
border into the empire
Burgundians crossed into Gaul to settle the duchy of
Burgundy
Burgundians crossed into Gaul to settle the duchy of
Burgundy
The Alemanns migrated through what is now Eastern France
The Alemanns migrated through what is now Eastern France
The Saxon Shore
The Saxon Shore
Places where the Saxons settled
NORTHERN GROUP
They crossed the Sound to Denmark
To eastern coast of England
And to the mouth of the Seine
NORTHERN GROUPIn the Viking Age
Faeroe Islands
Iceland
They founded Dublin
Language in Britain
Celtic LanguagesCeltic Languages
Welsh Welsh Irish Irish Scots GaelicScots Gaelic
Julius Caesar(55 BC)
Julius Caesar(55 BC)
Roman army takes 2/3 of BritainRoman army takes 2/3 of Britain
Latin is introduced as the language of the forcesLatin is introduced as the language of the forces
Hadrian’s Wall (legion from Romania)Hadrian’s Wall (legion from Romania)
Lancaster occupied by a legion from GaulLancaster occupied by a legion from Gaul
Roman forces are withdrawn in early
5th Century
Roman forces are withdrawn in early
5th Century
The Anglo-Saxons cross the North Sea and settle on the East and
South coasts of Britain
The Anglo-Saxons cross the North Sea and settle on the East and
South coasts of Britain
Early 9th Century
From Edinburgh across the West coast to the Humber
From Offa’s dyke to East
Anglia
To the north from the Mersey to the Humber
To the South from the Severn to the Thames
From Tamar to the
boundaries of Kent
Early English
Spoken English
Written English
Dialects
Northumbrian
Mercian
West Saxon
Kentish
Northern Dialects
Anglian
The Standard Language arose
out of the dialects of the old
Kingdoms
The beginning of the written English
Germanic tribes
In straight lines
Incised with a chisel
Short inscriptions on
jewelry
Commemorative texts on
Wood Rocks Stones
Magical purposes
RunesRunes
Earliest use of English in
manuscripts Glosses They provided an English equivalent form some words
in Latin texts
Use of diagraphs for Non-
Latin words
“æ” was used for the English vowel
intermediate between Latin “a”
and “e”
Example
Conventions They tend to conservatism in spelling
Old conventions can be retained despite the pronunciation changes
They can be used for another dialect for which they do not quite fit
Fisc
Example
Scip sksk
ʃʃsksk
ʃʃ
Fish
Ship
Texts Texts
Medieval culture
Medieval culture
Modern CultureModern Culture
Reading aloud
Reading aloud
Letters represent a sound
Read silently to yourselfRead silently to yourself
Letters were the sound of their
voice
Letters are prior to sounds
Letters are the smallest units in written and spoken text
We expect a text to be read aloud in the
language which it is written
TextsTexts
Church controlled
Latin literacy
Written English reflects the
power of the church
597 A.D Missionaries from Rome were sent to Kent
Pope Gregory established 2 archiepiscopal sees at London and York634 A.D
667 A.D.The Kings of Northumbria and Kent collaborated over the appointment of the archbishop of Canterbury
Written EnglishWritten English
As a result of the tension between the wider church
view and the narrower political view
Concept of English Language belonged to
the church
Political sown tates had their written form
First English texts were
produced in Northumbria
First English texts were
produced in Northumbria
Mercian Mercian
Particular variety of English in written form
Used not only in Mercia but also throughout the territory where it had influence
Wessex Wessex Dominant power in the 9th century
West SaxonAdopted as an official Language within and beyond the borders of Wessex
The Survival Celtics
The Survival Celtics
Anglo-Saxons settled in eastern
England
English speakers were in contact with the native
population
Natives learnt English
The Survival Celtics
The Survival Celtics
Wealas
“Foreigners”“Foreigners”
Language Waelisc = “Foreigner-ish”Waelisc = “Foreigner-ish”
Welsh
It kept being spoken in the north and west of the Anglo-Saxon settlements
Picts Picts They were overrun by the Scots
Gaelic-speaking tribe from Ireland
Gaelic Gaelic It remained dominant in the Highlands until the clans were destroyed in the 18th
Century
South WestSouth West
Borders of Wessex were extended to the Severn after the battle of Deorham (577
A.D.)
Cornwall was cut off from the Celtic-speaking communities
further North
Cornish died out in the 18th Century
617 The borders of Northumbria reached the Mersey Battle of Chester
Welsh place names that still remain
Landican Landican
Wallasey Wallasey
“Islands of the Welsh”
Native people of Northumbria, Mercia and Wessex gave up Celtic
Native people of Northumbria, Mercia and Wessex gave up Celtic
andand
adopted English regarding themselves as English peopleadopted English regarding themselves as English people
Edward IEdward I Ring of castles in North Wales
that introduced English (and French) speakers into
influential positions in the Welsh towns
Act of Union (1536)
Wales was incorporated within the political borders of England
English and Welsh
were to be available
in church as a result
of the act of Union (1543)
that said both
had to coexist
with equality
English and Welsh
were to be available
in church as a result
of the act of Union (1543)
that said both
had to coexist
with equality
William Morgan’s translation of the
Bible (1588) was an important factor
in order to preserve the Language
William Morgan’s translation of the
Bible (1588) was an important factor
in order to preserve the Language
Growing English
conurbations
Growing English
conurbations
They led to the economic decline of Welsh towns and the
emigration of Welsh speakers to England
Accelerated not only by economic factors
but also by the Industrial Revolution