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History of English > history of English language > Flashcards

history of English language Flashcards

1
Q

How many people speak English as a first language?

A

Around 400 million people

English is spoken as a first language primarily in countries like England and the US.

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2
Q

Approximately how many people use English as a second or foreign language?

A

Nearly 1 billion people

This includes people in countries where English is an official language or widely taught.

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3
Q

What regions of the world speak English?

A

Parts of Europe, the Americas, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand

English is also spoken on many islands in the Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific Oceans.

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4
Q

Why is English referred to as a ‘world language’?

A

It is probably used in some way by all people in the world

This includes those who speak it or use it in various contexts.

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5
Q

In which countries is English used as a second language?

A

India, Kenya, Singapore, Papua New Guinea

These countries have their own first languages but use English in official contexts.

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6
Q

What are ‘Seaspeak’ and ‘Airspeak’?

A

Languages of international sea and air traffic control that use English

They simplify communication using a small number of English phrases.

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7
Q

What historical events contributed to the spread of English?

A

British settlement of North America, Caribbean, Australia, and Asia

The spread continued with British colonialism in the 19th century.

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8
Q

What was a significant factor in the 20th century for the spread of English?

A

Growth in international business and air travel

Faster communication methods like the telephone and computer also contributed.

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9
Q

What is the main reason for the global importance of English?

A

It is extremely widely used, not due to the number of first language speakers

For example, Chinese has more first language speakers than English.

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10
Q

Why do we study history?

A

To learn about our ancestors, understand culture, and avoid past mistakes

Studying history helps us understand how past events shape the present.

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11
Q

What lessons can we learn from history?

A

Why societies thrive or fail, reasons for wars, and how to improve society

These lessons help in creating better paths for future societies.

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12
Q

What does ‘Proto’ in Proto-Indo-European mean?

A

‘First’, ‘foremost’, or ‘earliest form of’

It indicates the origin of many modern languages.

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13
Q

How many people speak an Indo-European language today?

A

About a quarter of the world’s population

Examples include English, Portuguese, and Iranian languages.

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14
Q

What was the Kurgan culture?

A

A group that arrived in the Aegean and Adriatic regions around 2300 BC

They are considered some of the first Proto-Indo-European speakers.

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15
Q

Who was Sir William Jones?

A

The first to study the history of languages in the late 18th century

He noted similarities between Sanskrit, Latin, and Greek.

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16
Q

What significant conclusion did Sir William Jones reach?

A

Sanskrit, Greek, and Latin came from a common source

This common source is now identified as Proto-Indo-European.

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17
Q

Where did the Celts migrate to?

A

Black Sea, Turkey, southwest Spain, central Italy, Britain, and Ireland

They were the first group to move to Europe.

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18
Q

What languages did different Celtic groups speak?

A
  • Galatian in Turkey
  • Celtiberian in Spain
  • Gaulish in France, Italy, and northern Europe
  • Goidelic or Gaelic in Ireland and Scotland
  • Brythonic in southern England

Around 20 Celtic words are found in Old English, e.g., London and Leeds.

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19
Q

What language did the Romans introduce to Britain?

A

Latin

Latin was used primarily by the upper classes during the Roman occupation.

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20
Q

What tribes invaded Britain after the Romans?

A

Jutes, Angles, and Saxons

They settled in large numbers, displacing the British Celts.

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21
Q

What is Old English?

A

The language used from the first Anglo-Saxon settlement in England to about 1100

It developed from the various Germanic dialects of the invading tribes.

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22
Q

What are the four dialects of Old English?

A
  • West Saxon
  • Kentish
  • Mercian
  • Northumbrian

These dialects had small grammatical and vocabulary differences.

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23
Q

What is the runic alphabet?

A

An ancient writing system used by Germanic peoples

It consists of angular characters and was primarily used from the 1st to 17th centuries CE.

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24
Q

How did Christianity affect Old English?

A

Brought Latin words and organized learning

Monks built churches and taught various subjects, leading to about 450 Latin words entering Old English.

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25
Q

What percentage of Old English vocabulary has disappeared in modern English?

A

About 85%

This vocabulary has been replaced with words from Latin or French.

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26
Q

Who were the Vikings?

A

People from Scandinavia, particularly Norway and Denmark

They invaded Britain in the 8th century.

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27
Q

What did King Alfred the Great do for the English language?

A

Made English the language of education and translated texts into Old English

He supported the writing of The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

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28
Q

What major event occurred in 1066 related to the Normans?

A

The Battle of Hastings

King Harold was killed, leading to William the Conqueror becoming king.

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29
Q

How did the Normans influence the English language?

A

Introduced French and Latin into government, law, and literature

Very little was written in English during this time.

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30
Q

What effect did the Norman conquest have on the English language?

A

It led to the development of a French-speaking aristocracy and introduced about 10,000 new words into English.

Examples of borrowed words include: alcool, salade, chef, soupe.

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31
Q

What are Normans and how do they differ from Nomads?

A

Normans are people from northern France that came to England; Nomads are people who keep moving from place to place.

Normans played a significant role in the governance and Church of England.

32
Q

What languages were used in government, the Church, the law, and literature after the Norman conquest?

A

French and Latin were primarily used, while very little was written in English at that time.

33
Q

Who continued to write The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle after the Norman invasion?

A

English monks continued writing it until 1154.

34
Q

Why did English people speak French after the Norman invasion?

A

French was spoken by those who wanted to be important or part of the upper class.

35
Q

What were the two important linguistic developments that characterized Middle English?

A
  1. Grammar: Reliance on word order over inflectional endings. 2. Vocabulary: Increase in borrowings from French, Latin, and Scandinavian.
36
Q

What grammatical changes occurred in Middle English?

A

English became simpler, losing different endings of nouns, adjectives, and pronouns.

37
Q

What was the significance of William Caxton in English language history?

A

He introduced the printing press to England in 1476, which led to the standardization of English language and spelling.

38
Q

What dialect did Caxton and other printers decide to use?

A

The East Midlands dialect, as it was spoken in London and used by government officials.

39
Q

Who was Geoffrey Chaucer and what is he known for?

A

Chaucer was the greatest writer of Middle English, known for ‘The Canterbury Tales’ and for establishing Middle English as a literary language.

40
Q

What was the main theme of William Langland’s poem Piers Plowman?

A

It addresses the difficulties of the poor in London and the bad customs of the Church.

41
Q

How did English change during the early Modern English period?

A

It changed in pronunciation, vocabulary, grammar, and was associated with the Renaissance.

42
Q

What is significant about Caxton’s publishing of Le Morte d’Arthur?

A

It is regarded as the first bestseller in print material.

43
Q

What was the status of English in the early Modern period?

A

Latin was still the language of learning, but acceptance of English as a language of learning grew.

44
Q

What were the four ways Latin influenced English?

A
  • Direct influence from Romans
  • Indirect influence from French
  • Through Bible translation
  • From the Renaissance and Industrial Revolution.
45
Q

Who was Noah Webster and what did he contribute to the English language?

A

Webster was an American teacher who wrote ‘The American Spelling Book’ and ‘An American Dictionary of the English Language’ to standardize American English.

46
Q

What is a lingua franca?

A

A language or mixture of languages used as a medium of communication by people whose native languages are different.

47
Q

When did English become a lingua franca?

A

It became a lingua franca during the British colonization of parts of Asia and Africa in the late 16th century.

48
Q

What are the differences between lingua franca, pidgin, and creole?

A
  • Lingua franca: Language used between people without a common language
  • Pidgin: Simplified language combining elements of two or more languages
  • Creole: A stable, fully developed language that evolved from pidgin.
49
Q

What linguistic changes occurred in Modern English?

A
  • Use of ‘do’ with main verbs
  • Dropping of -th ending
  • Pronoun changes
  • Disappearance of certain sounds.
50
Q

What was Jonathan Swift’s view on English language changes?

A

He disliked spelling changes and wanted to establish fixed grammar rules, but acknowledged that language change was unavoidable.

51
Q

What are the four features of standardization in English?

A
  • Grammar
  • Vocabulary
  • Spelling
  • Pronunciation rules.
52
Q

What role did the printing press play in the standardization of English?

A

It allowed for the mass production of texts, which contributed to the uniformity of grammar, vocabulary, and spelling.

53
Q

What are some examples of American English vs. British English?

A
  • Learned (British) - Learned (American)
  • Colour (British) - Color (American)
  • Licence (British) - License (American).
54
Q

What is a lingua franca?

A

A language used as a common means of communication between people who do not share a native language.

55
Q

Define pidgin.

A

A simplified language with limited vocabulary, combining elements of two or more languages, used for communication between speakers of different native languages.

56
Q

What is a creole?

A

A fully developed mother tongue that evolves from a pidgin, often spoken as a first language by a community.

57
Q

What is the primary difference in grammar between pidgin and creole?

A

Pidgin has simple and inconsistent grammar; creole has fully developed and consistent grammar.

58
Q

Does pidgin have native speakers?

A

No, pidgin does not have native speakers.

59
Q

Does creole have native speakers?

A

Yes, creole has native speakers.

60
Q

What is linguistic imperialism?

A

The process by which the dominance of English is asserted and maintained by the establishment and continuous reconstitution of structural and cultural inequalities between English and other languages.

61
Q

True or False: English is both replacing and displacing other languages.

A

True.

62
Q

What is linguicism?

A

Ideologies, structures, and practices that legitimize and reproduce an unequal division of power and resources based on language.

63
Q

What are the three sets of arguments in linguistic imperialistic discourse?

A
  • Capacities: English-intrinsic arguments
  • Resources: English-extrinsic arguments
  • Uses: English-functional arguments
64
Q

What is crosslinguistic influence (CLI)?

A

The different ways in which one language can affect another within an individual speaker.

65
Q

What are the four fallacies identified in the ELT profession?

A
  • The monolingual fallacy
  • The native speaker fallacy
  • The early start fallacy
  • The maximum exposure fallacy
  • The subtractive fallacy
66
Q

What is the pluralization view regarding English?

A

English can peacefully co-exist with existing local languages and is seen as a useful global language.

67
Q

What does the resistance view claim about English?

A

English poses a direct threat to the existence of other languages in many contexts.

68
Q

What is jargon?

A

The language, especially the vocabulary, peculiar to a particular trade, profession, or group.

69
Q

How does jargon differ from slang?

A

Jargon is specialized language used in specific professions, while slang is informal language often used by young people.

70
Q

Fill in the blank: Jargon can create confusion in general conversations due to its _______.

A

[specialized vocabulary].

71
Q

What are the advantages of using jargon?

A
  • Makes communication simpler
  • Creates a sense of shared identity
  • Facilitates communication in professional environments
72
Q

What are the disadvantages of using jargon?

A
  • Unlikely to be understood by outsiders
  • Can be exclusive
  • Can cause distrust if overused
73
Q

What is argot?

A

A speech variety used by specific groups, typically secretive or obscure.

74
Q

What does the term ‘blamestorming’ refer to?

A

A meeting where everyone is trying to assign blame for something.

75
Q

Give an example of modern British slang.

A

‘Safe!’ means ‘That’s good’ or ‘I understand.’

76
Q

What is a key characteristic of slang?

A

It changes rapidly with trends and cultural shifts.

History of English (1 decks)

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