History of English language

Question 1

First inhabitants of England

Answer 1

Celts
Had insignificant influence on names of some towns, rivers and regions (London, Avon, Kent…)

Question 2

When English territory was unified for the 1st time, what language was established as literary standard?

Answer 2

West Saxon

Question 3

Old English

Answer 3

Synthetic type of language, used four grammatical cases and inflectional morphemes

4th - 11th century

Question 4

1362

Answer 4

English as the official language of the law-courts

Question 5

Great Vowel Shift

Answer 5

Long English vowels became diphthongs or were raised

Took place in Modern English

Question 6

Middle English

Answer 6

French language penetrating into English - French as language of the ruling class

Stress was put on the first part of the word

Number of cases reduced to three

1100 - 1500

Question 7

Modern English

Answer 7

Latin as a language of learning and prestige

-en plural was replaced by -eth and -es endings

-eth as third person morpheme was replaced by -es ending

1500 ->

Question 8

Latin influence (3 stages)

Answer 8

1. Influence of the Roman occupation
2. Influence of Latin in the Middle Ages
3. In period of the Revival of Learning and Humanism

Question 9

Rhotic

Answer 9

English varieties in which /r/ sound was preserved (used before a pause or consonant)