Early Modern English Flashcards
What were 3 external native factors shaping Early Modern English?
- Introduction of printing in 1476- William Shakespeare- King James Bible
What were 3 external foreign factors shaping Early Modern English?
- Renaissance- Reformation- Maritime Power with Walter Ralegh
What did William Caxton provide the language with the printing press?
He provided a uniform model of spoken English while no uniform model of spoken English existed.
What type of English did Caxton reproduce?
English of London and the South East.
How many books were there before Caxton and how were they written?
There were 5000 books before Caxton and they were written by hand.
How many printed books were there after Caxton?
20 000 books printed (including pamphlets and specialized novels).
Who was William Shakespeare? What was his particularity?
He was the greatest English writer whose Elizabethan spirit of daring and innovation greatly influenced the English language.
How did Shakespeare craft English?
He uses wordplays and puns to expand the lexicon.
How much of the population was literate before and after Shakespeare starts and ends his writing?
Before, 1/3 of the population was literate, and fater 1/2 of the population was literate.
What are 3 words Shakespeare invented and what do they mean?
- Madcap (insane)- Bedroom (place in bed)- Courtship (court + suffix “ship”)
When was the Authorized Version (The King James Bible) published?
In 1611.
What was the most widely read English text with powerful effect on English stylistics in Early Modern English?
The King James Bible.
During the Renaissance, which modern vernacular languages emerge?
French, Italian, Spanish, German, English.
During the Renaissance, what language becomes the language of popular literature?
English.
The Renaissance is characterised to be what kind of period?
A period of increased activity in every field.
What did newly patriotism and national consciousness lead to?
It led to opposing excessive borrowing from Latin and Greek.
What is the major event that started the Reformation?
Henry VIII breaks with the Roman Catholic Church in 1534 creating the Church of England.
What did the protestants do in order to make the Bible accessible to the people?
They translated it in 5 vernacular languages.
What happens in 1588?
England defeats the Spanish Armada and becomes a major sea power.
Where did the British acquire colonies by the end of the 17th century?
In the Americas (Canada, American colonies, Barbados), Africa (Gambia, Gold Coast) and India.
What did the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century bring?
Intensive urbanization let to the creation of technical vocabulary based on Latin and Greek roots.
