Language Change - History of English

Question 1

Language Change in English and Key words

Answer 1

English is an amalgamation of a number of different languages

KEY WORDS:

1) Socio-cultural phenomenon (in language change) - language we use reflect changes in society –> therefore we can track which groups had influence and power at different points in history

2) Linguistic Purism - zero-tolerance approach to change through external influences

3) Language contact - a process whereby multiple languages meet and influence each other

Question 2

Era of Old English

Answer 2

Group of Germanic invaders came to Britain

These invaders were made up of groups of Jutes, Saxons and Frisians

They all spoke a number of closely related varieties of Germanic languages and collectively became known as English

This is an example of language contact

Question 3

Missionaries and Latin

Answer 3

Christian missionaries arrived in Britain from Rome –> bringing the influence of the Latin language with them, including Roman alphabet

Christianity soon took hold in Britain –> THUS adding new words from religious contexts including monk, pope, priest

Question 4

Vikings

Answer 4

Vikings from Denmark, Norway and Sweden invaded Britain

Britain was divided into two:
1) Vikings ruling the North and East of Britain
2) While Anglo-Saxons ruled the South and West

Vikings spoke Old Norse which gradually became apart of the English language

Question 5

Middle English, 1100 - 1500

Answer 5

Middle English = varieties of English used during 1100 and 1500

English was adopted by the Norman-French invaders who arrived in 1066

After 1066:
- aristocracy started using French now, but English was still largely used
- French continued its cultural dominance

Example of Diglossic community / diglossia –> two varieties of language in same community –> French = high status in society with religious purposes WHILE English = informal speech

Question 6

Great Vowel Shift

Answer 6

Took place across 15th and 16th century

Where the sounds of the long vowels shifted to a different point of articulation (clearer distinct sounds in speech)

This created a chain shift, where when one sound changes it has a knock-on effect on other sounds.

Question 7

England during the 16th and 18th centuries

Answer 7

1476 - William Caxton and Printing Press

1755 - Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary –> consisted of 40,000 entries HOWEVER, it was said he made up some words, left words out if they weren’t good enough or didn’t suit his taste