Language Change Flashcards
What is Old English?
Language of the Anglo-Saxons (Germanic tribes), Missionaries and viking invaders
When did the Germanic tribes invade Britain? (OE)
C. 449 AD
What were the Germanic tribes which invaded Britain?
Angles
Frisians
Saxons
Jutes
When did the missionaries arrive in Britain?
C. 597 AD
Give four examples of Present Day English words that are derived from Old English
Numbers, days of the week, place names, question words
What was used to write by Celts? (OE)
Runic alphabet
What is the writing style for Old English?
Roman alphabet
What event caused Old English to start to change to Middle English?
Battle of Hastings 1066 and invasion of William Duke of Normandy
What three languages were spoken in England in Middle English times?
French - (language of power and officialdom)
Latin - (language of education and church)
English
When did the Vikings arrive in Britain
Late 8th Century
How did French become a part of Middle English?
William appointed French speaking supporters to all key positions of power
Why wasn’t English standardised?
English used Latin traditionally and French for over 300 years as written languages, no need to agree on a common linguistic standard
Who brought the printing press to Britain?
William Caxton - 1476 (to Westminster)
1476
What influence did the printing press have on the production of books?
Books could be manufactured in large numbers, increasing affordability
Who wrote the Canterbury Tales? What was their significance?
Chaucer in 1380s/90s:
-Chose to write in English
-Made English a language fit for cultivated readers
-Imitated accents through text
How were new words invented in 1500-1650?
Addition of prefixes, suffixes and cobbling together compounds
What did the union of the English and Scottish crown lead to?
First English translation of the bible
1611
What were the opinions on the new words added to early modern English?
Controversy over new words- some think new Greek and Latin terms as enrichment, others think they are ‘inkhorn terms’
What was the first English dictionary called? When was it written and who by?
A Table Alphabeticall
1604
Cawdrey
What was established in 1712 and who established it? What was its main aim and two aims the creator had?
Language Academy Swift Regulate language usage Ban new absurd rules Hated fashion of not pronouncing -ed
Name three books, their authors and the year they were published which contributed to creating language rules?
Samuel Johnson, dictionary-1755
Lowth- guide to Grammar-1762
Murray- pronunciation guide-1794
What happened to dialects as the rules of English were established?
Standing of regional dialects and accents serious decline
What did Webster write? What did it include? What was the significance?
American Dictionary of the English Language 1828
Covered more scientific/technical terms as well as American culture terms
Defined identity of a new nation
Taught children how to write, speak and say things
changed spelling edition by edition