Key Terms for the development of the English Language

Question 1

The Great Vowel Shift

Answer 1

Changes in the pronunciation of the English language between 1400 and 1700, affecting the long vowels of the standard language. Long i in bite was pronounced as /iː/ so Middle English bite sounded similar to Modern English beet /biːt/

Question 2

Shakespeare’s innovations in lexis and grammar

Answer 2

Most of our prefixes and suffixes come from Latin, e.g. anti-, post-, pre-, -al, -ate, -ic.
Around 1,502 words recorded in the Oxford English Dictionary as being first cited by Shakespeare.
Employed compounding: when two or more words are combined together to form a new word.

Question 3

The King James Bible

Answer 3

First true English translation of the Bible, helping standardise spelling along with spreading many new phrases such as ‘sheep to the slaughter’ which are popular today.

Question 4

Change in pronoun use

Answer 4

Today, the main second person pronoun is the word “you” and its related forms “your” and “yours.” But in Shakespeare’s time, there were two sets of second person pronouns. The you-forms– ye, you, your, yours– and the thou-forms– thou, thy, thine.

Question 5

Loan words

Answer 5

A word adopted from a foreign language with little or no modification.

Question 6

Spellings in the early modern period

Answer 6

Not largely conformed until dictionaries and printing became more widespread, varied from area to area. Alongside this, the letter ⟨S⟩ had two distinct lowercase forms: ⟨s⟩ (short s), as is still used today, and ⟨ſ⟩ (long s).

Question 7

Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary

Answer 7

Published in 1755, among the most influential dictionaries in the history of the English language, being one of the first and more comprehensive. Gave examples in sentences, also helping conform grammar.

Question 8

Spellings in the late modern period

Answer 8

Differing in USA to other parts of the world, become much more conformed due to globalisation and connection across the world being easier.