English Language Flashcards
The Great Vowel Shift
the major change in English pronunciation that took place from 1350 to the 1700s. ex- “bear” used to sound like “be” plus “-ar,” but after the Great Vowel Shift it’s sound changed to its current pronunciation
Informal Language
language appropriate for texts and emails to friends
Vernacular
everyday language used by the common people in their daily lives. ex- the word “hi”
Religious (Influence on Language)
the language will evolve to meet the morals and values of the culture. ex-Protestant Reformation
Dialect
form of a language particular to a specific region or community
Lexicon
the collective vocabulary of a person or language. ex- Reading over the summer increased the student’s lexicon for the following school year.
Semantics
The study of word or symbol meaning. ex- “love” which has many different meanings in English
Literal vs figurative meaning of “Raining cats and dogs”
Affix
A letter or letters that change a root word’s meaning. ex- prefixes or suffixes
Clarity / Word Choice
Use of vocabulary or other organizational choices to ensure the intended meaning comes through.
Modern English
type of English widely used following the Great Vowel Shift
Historical (Influence on Language)
language evolves and changes with history. ex- Norman Conquest
Root
Base words to which prefixes, suffixes, and syllables can be added
Cultural (Influence on Language)
factors related to a student’s cultural background that lead to differences in language usage. ex- social class
Middle English
period when English changed because of contact with the French language through the Norman Conquest; used between 1150 and 1470. ex- The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
Technological (Influence on Language)
words associated with technology come and go in the daily lexicon. ex- to google
Cultural Language Variations
factors in a student’s life lead to cultural variations in language. ex- dialect
Formal Language
language appropriate for essays and written responses to literature
Gender (Influence on Language)
the fact that language can be gender specific. ex- he or she
Etymology
the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history
Tone
The attitude of the author in writing, and which might be comical, serious, frightening, joyful. Sometimes called diction.
Technical Language
language specific to a profession or subject. ex- medicine
Old English
the original English language spoken by the Anglo-Saxons until around 1150. ex-
Beowulf
Social (Influence on Language)
current influences; such as changes in technology, family structures, or society. ex- popular music
Ethnic (Influence on Language)
a person’s race and family heritage impacts their language usage. ex- words associated with specific foods
Regional (Influence on Language)
in different places, words may be different or the same word may be pronounced differently
Orthography
Spelling patterns of language
Contemporary American English
late 1990s to today represent another period in the evolution of the English language
