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English Language > History of English > Flashcards

History of English Flashcards

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Proverbs and Idioms flashcards
1
Q

Abbreviation

A

Shortened versions of a word created through its initials and other symbols

St (Saint)

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2
Q

Acronym

A

A word formed from the initial letters of a series of words that are pronounced as a word
ANZAC (Australia and New Zealand Army Corps)

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3
Q

Initialism

A

A word formed from the initial letters in a series of words that are pronounced as a letters
VCE (Victorian Certificate of Education)

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4
Q

Shortening

A

Forming a new word by removing part of a longer word
pram (perambulator)

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5
Q

Contraction

A

A word formed by removing part of a longer word
She’s (she is)

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6
Q

Compounding

A

A word formed by joining two full words together into a single word
keyboard (key + board)

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7
Q

Blending

A

A word formed by joining parts of two or more words together into a single word
kidult (kid + adult)

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8
Q

Conversion

A

Changing the part of speech to which a word belongs without adding affixes
email (noun -> noun + verb)

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9
Q

Backformation

A

The process of forming a word by removing a part of a word that is mistakenly thought to be an affix of a longer word.
televise -> television

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10
Q

Affixation

A

The process of forming a new word by the addition of affixes
government (govern + -ment)

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11
Q

Borrowing

A

A word taken from another language and adapted for English
pen (from Latin)

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12
Q

Commonisation

A

Forming a common noun from a proper noun
esky (brand -> common)

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13
Q

Nominalisation

A

Forming a noun from an existing verb or adjective
‘walk’

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14
Q

Neologism

A

A newly coined word

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15
Q

Deterioration

A

The process of a words connotation becoming more negative
‘gossip’

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16
Q

Elevation

A

The process of a word’s connotation changing to become more positive
‘sick’ (colloquially)

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17
Q

Broadening

A

Words meaning becoming less specific (gains meanings)
‘viral’ (+internet)

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18
Q

Narrowing

A

Words meaning becomes more specific (loses meanings)
‘apple’ (-all fruits)

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19
Q

Shift

A

The process of a words changing what it denotes to something different.
pretty (crafty/clever -> attractive)

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20
Q

Obsolesce

A

A term or phrase is no longer used in language
‘groak’

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21
Q

Taboo

A

A term or phrase that is considered unacceptable socially to say
swear words

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22
Q

Connotations

A

The modern of slang meanings of words
‘sick = cool’

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23
Q

Etymology

A

the history of words
example was derived from ‘eximere’ or take out in Latin

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24
Q

Euphemisms

A

a mild or indirect word or substituted for a harsh or blunt one

passed away-> dead

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25
Q

Assimilation

A

The process of making one sound segment similar to neighbouring one
sandwich -> samwich

26
Q

Archaism

A

Very old or old-fashioned/out dated words
lave - washing over

27
Q

What was the Great Vowel Shift?

A

the shift in the pronunciation (moved up position in mouth) of the seven long vowels from 1400 - 1700 CE

28
Q

What influenced the Great Vowel Shift?

A

Black Death - mixing of dialects
Hundred Year War - desire to shift away from French sounding vowels
Hyper-Correction - over correction speech to sound closer to the French

29
Q

Why was the Great Vowel Shift significant?

A

All seven long vowels shifted pronunciation greatly affecting current pronunciation of long vowel sounds

30
Q

3 reasons for words to change their meanings?

A

Movement between Domains - specific domain needs new words (leads to borrowing, narrowing and broadening)
Innovation requiring New Lexemes - new creations need new words
Societal Changes - change in societal norms (elevation, deterioration and shift)

31
Q

Indo-European language

A

a language derived from the Proto-Indo-European language

32
Q

Proto language

A

the language that is considered to be the ancestor of all languages

33
Q

Cognates

A

a lexeme that is similar to another and indicate a relationship or shared history

brother (ENG) -> bror (NOR)

34
Q

Grimm’s Law

A

the discovery of relationships and similarities between words/phonetics of Germanic and Latinate languages
heart (ENG) -> hart (DUT)

35
Q

What was the Viking invasions?

A

The invasion of the Vikings in Britain during 8th to 11th centuries

36
Q

How did the Viking invasions impact English?

A
  • Introduced Old Norse
  • simplified the language
  • removed many inflectional morphemes
  • subject-verb-object sentence structure
37
Q

What was the Norman Conquest?

A

The take over of Britain by the French 1066 - 1362

38
Q

How did the Norman Conquest impact English?

A
  • French became official language
  • added many French words to the language
  • continued to simplify and clarify the structure and overall language
39
Q

What were the Christian missionaries?

A

Catholic missionaries sent from Rome to convert the people of Britain
several but first Gregorian missionaries occurred 6th century

40
Q

How did the Christian missionaries impact English

A

-introduced Latin influence
- Latin used in church and education
- added words related to English
- influenced sentence structures and grammar to closer resemble Latin

41
Q

What was the plague (Black Death)?

A

The first wave of the bubonic plague that killed 50% of Europe’s population occurring 1348-1353

42
Q

How did the Black Death impact English?

A
  • lead to the mixing of dialects
  • eliminated many regional dialects
  • deaths of Latin and French speakers lead to resurgence of English use
43
Q

What was the printing press?

A

A machine that allowed the printing of texts made 1440 (Gutenberg) and English version made 1476 by Caxton

44
Q

How did the printing press effect English?

A
  • English texts more accessible
  • increased popularity of English
  • began standardisation
  • popularised literature
45
Q

What was the first dictionaries?

A

Bullokar Pamphlet - 1586 - book on English grammar rules
Dr Johnsons Dictionary - 1755 - first comprehensive dictionary
Websters Dictionary - 1828 - first American dictionary

46
Q

How did the dictionaries effect English?

A
  • providing accurate spellings and clear definitions
  • standardise and codify the English language
  • greatly aided language learners and the education system
47
Q

What were the first typewriters/keyboards?

A

machine allowing letters to be printed on paper 1714 by Henry Mill
QWERTY keyboard - Chirstopher Sholes - 1867 - speedier typing

48
Q

How did typewriters and keyboards effect the English language?

A
  • enabled easy production of text
  • standardised alphabet
49
Q

What is the internet?

A

global network of interconnected devices that communicate with each other and enable fast exchange of information
created in 1983
available to public 1993

50
Q

How did the internet effect English?

A
  • allowed people to communicate overseas instantaneously
  • revolutionised communication
51
Q

When was Old English

A

450-1150 CE

52
Q

When was Middle English

A

1150 - 1500 CE

53
Q

When was Early Middle English?

A

1500 - 1750 CE

54
Q

When was Modern English?

A

1750 - present CE

55
Q

Codification

A

the methods in which language is standardised (dictionaries)

56
Q

Standardisation

A

the process of making something conform to a widely accepted and uniform form
English Language that has specific grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and pronunciation rules

57
Q

Importance of codification and standardisation

A
  • clarifies language
  • easy to learn and understand
  • allows for easier translation
58
Q

What are the reasons for word loss?

A

BUTO
Brevity
Unknown Reasons
Taboo
Obsolescence

59
Q

Brevity

A

words become too short and are either cut completely or are used as morphemes (sometimes change back into a word)
ig -> igland -> island

60
Q

What are descriptivists?

A

people who view language change as a natural part of a languages evolution and do not dictate how it should be used

61
Q

What are prescriptivists?

A

people who dictate who others should use language, strive for codification and standardisation for clarity and function.

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