History of The English Language:

Old English and beyond

History of The English Language:

Old English and beyond

Based on Crystal, chaps 2, 3 and 4

Power Point presentation developed by Alan Firth – adapted by Andrew Fish

Based on Crystal, chaps 2, 3 and 4

Power Point presentation developed by Alan Firth – adapted by Andrew Fish

The English LanguageThe English Language

Is unique in its geographical spread and scope In its role as the global ‘lingua franca’ (‘contact

language’) In its dominance in scholarship and science,

diplomacy and politics, trade, entertainment (movies, popular music, television), tourism

Has special (‘virtual second language’) status in Denmark

Is unique in its geographical spread and scope In its role as the global ‘lingua franca’ (‘contact

language’) In its dominance in scholarship and science,

diplomacy and politics, trade, entertainment (movies, popular music, television), tourism

Has special (‘virtual second language’) status in Denmark

A key aspect of lg is VARIATION

A key aspect of lg is VARIATION

Temporal Regional Social Personal

Temporal Regional Social Personal

Temporal variationTemporal variation

Time affects a lg, both in the long term and short term Lg change is a major research topic, many books and

research articles in journals It is an inevitable and continuing process (though often

people do not like this fact! Decay? Or progress?) Like all lgs, English has clearly changed across the

centuries Long term: gradual but quite dramatic changes in

grammar, lexis, phonology (sounds), orthography. Distinct periods: Old English, Middle English,

Elizabethan English, Modern English

Time affects a lg, both in the long term and short term Lg change is a major research topic, many books and

research articles in journals It is an inevitable and continuing process (though often

people do not like this fact! Decay? Or progress?) Like all lgs, English has clearly changed across the

centuries Long term: gradual but quite dramatic changes in

grammar, lexis, phonology (sounds), orthography. Distinct periods: Old English, Middle English,

Elizabethan English, Modern English

Short term: lg changes in life time of persons: e.g. early childhood, adolescence, phases of adulthood; generational changes

Short term: lg changes in life time of persons: e.g. early childhood, adolescence, phases of adulthood; generational changes

Linguistic rootsLinguistic roots

English is part of the Indo-European language group (443 lgs, 3 billion speakers),

includes most of the major language families of Europe and western Asia, which belong to a single superfamily. Contemporary languages in this superfamily include Bengali, English, French, German, Hindi, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish (each with more than 100 million native speakers), as well as numerous smaller national or minority languages.

part of the West Germanic branch. Its closest linguistic relations are Frisian, Flemish, Dutch. Danish is part of the North Germanic branch.

English is part of the Indo-European language group (443 lgs, 3 billion speakers),

includes most of the major language families of Europe and western Asia, which belong to a single superfamily. Contemporary languages in this superfamily include Bengali, English, French, German, Hindi, Persian, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish (each with more than 100 million native speakers), as well as numerous smaller national or minority languages.

part of the West Germanic branch. Its closest linguistic relations are Frisian, Flemish, Dutch. Danish is part of the North Germanic branch.

Emergence ...Emergence ...

English began to emerge as a distinct language in approximately 700 AD. It emerged from the gradual occupation of England by Angles, Jutes and Saxons in the period 450-650 AD. During this period these related languages supplanted the Celto-Romano languages and developed gradually into a distinct language (Old English) in its own right

English began to emerge as a distinct language in approximately 700 AD. It emerged from the gradual occupation of England by Angles, Jutes and Saxons in the period 450-650 AD. During this period these related languages supplanted the Celto-Romano languages and developed gradually into a distinct language (Old English) in its own right

Dialects ... the early yearsDialects ... the early years

No single standard language existed at this time

Four distinct dialects, which reflected the origins of the new settlers

Northumbrian Mercian Kentish West Saxon They were, more or less,

mutually intelligible

No single standard language existed at this time

Four distinct dialects, which reflected the origins of the new settlers

Northumbrian Mercian Kentish West Saxon They were, more or less,

mutually intelligible

Age of learning ..Age of learning ..

First Christian missionaries arrived in AD 597 (Augustine)

Rapid growth of monasteries, and writing, using the latin alphabet

First Englisc texts began to appear in ca. AD 700 (Old English)

AD 731, The Venerable Bede (Jarrow) wrote the Ecclesiastical History - in Latin

First Christian missionaries arrived in AD 597 (Augustine)

Rapid growth of monasteries, and writing, using the latin alphabet

First Englisc texts began to appear in ca. AD 700 (Old English)

AD 731, The Venerable Bede (Jarrow) wrote the Ecclesiastical History - in Latin

Beowulf Beowulf

English (Old English) first appeared in writing in approx. 800 AD

‘Beowulf’, an anonymously-written poem, is regarded as one of the first pieces of literature in (Old) English

English (Old English) first appeared in writing in approx. 800 AD

‘Beowulf’, an anonymously-written poem, is regarded as one of the first pieces of literature in (Old) English

The VikingsThe Vikings

AD 787 - first Viking raid Within decades, controlled most of the east of

England AD 886 Treaty of Wedmore (Danelaw), Chester

(north west) to London (south east) Linguistic impact was great: large number of

Danish settlements (-by, -thorpe, -thwaite, -toft), family names (ending in ‘son’), everyday words, grammar (loss of inflections, verb ‘to be’, pronunciation

AD 787 - first Viking raid Within decades, controlled most of the east of

England AD 886 Treaty of Wedmore (Danelaw), Chester

(north west) to London (south east) Linguistic impact was great: large number of

Danish settlements (-by, -thorpe, -thwaite, -toft), family names (ending in ‘son’), everyday words, grammar (loss of inflections, verb ‘to be’, pronunciation

The Norman ConquestThe Norman Conquest

Old English becoming well established (King Alfred) in writing (Winchester)

Invasion of 1066, Viking stock, speaking Old Northern French

Importation of French words (power, learning, bureaucracy)

Old English becoming well established (King Alfred) in writing (Winchester)

Invasion of 1066, Viking stock, speaking Old Northern French

Importation of French words (power, learning, bureaucracy)

Answer these questionsAnswer these questions

What are the ‘Indo-European’ languages? Explain where English belongs on the Indo-European

language ‘family tree’ What was happening in ‘Britain’, language-wise, before

the arrival of the Angles, Saxons and Jutes? What is the ‘ash’, ‘wynn’, ‘thorn’, and ‘that’? Explain the past tense of the verb ‘be’ in OE What are the characteristics of the OE pronoun system? How can modern English verbs be traced back to OE?

What are the ‘Indo-European’ languages? Explain where English belongs on the Indo-European

language ‘family tree’ What was happening in ‘Britain’, language-wise, before

the arrival of the Angles, Saxons and Jutes? What is the ‘ash’, ‘wynn’, ‘thorn’, and ‘that’? Explain the past tense of the verb ‘be’ in OE What are the characteristics of the OE pronoun system? How can modern English verbs be traced back to OE?