Late Modern English: Historical Events

Question 1

First Standardised English Dictionary

Answer 1

Samuel Johnson
1775
Greatly influenced standardisation
FIRST ATTEMPT TO CODIFY LEXICON
- Punctuation given importance
- Inconsistencies began to disappear

Question 2

Latin

Answer 2

Considered the language of scholars & scientists in 18th century
High Latin & Vulgar Latin
Majority of Latin influence in English is derived from vulgar Latin

Question 3

High Latin

Answer 3

Language of written texts (laws)
- Reserved for highly educated & those with money
Spoken by upper class Latin: scholars / professors / aristocrats
-> more structure / more of a system

Question 4

Vulgar Latin

Answer 4

Language of average Roman citizens
- Spoken by peasants / soldiers / farmers
- More widely spoken Latin
Majority of Latin influence in English is derived from vulgar Latin

Question 5

Education Act

Answer 5

1876
Made it law for children up to age 10 to attend full-time education (ages were later extended)
OBJ: To improve literacy & abolish child labour
ISSUE: Truancy was a major problem: Parents could not afford a drop in household income / schools were chargeable until 1893
- Fewer inconsistencies in spelling / grammar / punctuation but still common unless in academia

Question 6

A Short Introduction to English Grammar

Answer 6

Lowth
1762
Prescriptive grammar rules:
- Double negatives always result in a positive
- Never end sentences with prepositions
- Never start sentences with conjunctions
- Never split an infinitive