Old English: Lexis

Question 1

Old English Vocabulary

Answer 1

Function words and core vocabulary are (West-) Germanic
- many words still exist today
- words have died out
- words have changed their meaning

Question 2

Foreign influences on Old English

Answer 2

1. Celtic
2. Latin
3. Scandinavian

dominant influence on OE: Germanic

Question 3

Loan Word

Answer 3

• a word borrowed from another language which has been integrated into the language

Question 4

Celtic loan words

Answer 4

• Place names, names of rivers: Avon, Dover, Kent (…)
• Other words in popular use: binn (basket), luh (loch-lake)

Question 5

Latin loan words
- 3 phases

Answer 5

1. Zero Period/ Continental Borrowing
2. First period/ Celtic Transmission
3. Second Period/Christianizing

Question 6

Zero Period/Continental Borrowing

Answer 6

• Before 449 AD
• contact between Romans and Germanic tribes on the continent before Germanic invasion of Britain
• everyday words e.g.: cheap, cheese, kitchen, mile (…)

Question 7

First Period/ Celtic Transmission

Answer 7

• from 449 AD
• Latin words adopted by the Celts BEFORE Germanic invasion and then influenced OE via the contact of Celts and English people in Britain
• no direct contact between Roman and Germanic
• places e.g.: lat. castra: Dorchester, Lancaster; port, munt, torr (…)

Question 8

Second Period/ Christianizing

Answer 8

• from about 600 Ad
• missionaries brought their religious words
• church words e.g.: abbot, alter, candle, fennel, pope, accent (…)

Question 9

Scandinavian loan words

Answer 9

• Places names (in the Danelaw): -by (farm/town): Whitby, Derby; -thorpe (village): Althorpe; -toft (piece of land): Lowestoft
• Family names ending in -son: Davidson, Jackson
• Words starting with sk-: skin, sky, skull
• Words in daily life: anger, bag, birth (…)
• Function words: they, them , their

Question 10

How can we access Old English/ Older Stages of English?

Answer 10

1. Manuscripts
   - Handwritten, Material object, Autograph copy
2. Facsimiles
   - Exactly the same layout (e.g. picture)
3. Editions
   - Legible and accessible versions, compromises put together by philologists/ linguists

Question 11

Runes
- Runic alphabet: Futhorc

Answer 11

• Old English was first written in runes
• Oldest traces of English writing: durable material like stone
  -straight lines, no circles: used with wood/ stone/ chisel etc.
• usually just a couple of words, no texts
• only limited use

Question 12

Insular hand

Answer 12

• after Christianizing
• specific version of the Latin alphabet
• used a lot
• only a few written accounts before 700

Question 13

Dialect areas

Answer 13

• 4 main dialect areas
• dialect areas largely correspond with the settlement of the Germanic tribes
  1. Nothhumbrian (Anglian)
  2. Mercian (Anglian)
  3. Kentish
  4. West Saxon

Question 14

5. Where did the Germanic come from (on the continent)?

Answer 14

• Angles, Saxons and Jutes
• they came from different parts of Germany and Denmark

Question 15

6. When did the Christianization take place?

Answer 15

Mid 6th century: Beginning of Christianization in Britain by the roman-catholic church
- 563 missionaries from Ireland
- 597 missionaries from Rome

Question 16

7. Name three written symbols of OE Writing system that are not used today?

Answer 16

After Christianization: Insular Hand
Differences to today’s alphabet
- <þ> thorn from its runic name, stands for [ð] and [θ]
- <Ƿ> wynn from its runic name, stands for <w>
- <Ʒ> yogh, stands for/g/,/j/or/ɣ/</Ʒ></w></Ƿ></þ>

Question 17

8. Give the three phases of Latin influence on OE. Which words entered the English language during each phase and why?

Answer 17

1. Continental Borrowing/ Zero Period
   - cheap, cheese, mile, street, wine
   - contact between Romans and Germanic tribes on the continent before Germanic invasion of Britain
2. Celtic Transmission/ First Period
   - ceaster (Lancaster), port, munt, torr, wic
   - Latin words adopted by the Celts before Germanic invasion and then influenced OE via the contact of the Celts &English people in Britain (no direct contact between Roman & Germanic tribes)
3. Christianization/ Second Period
   - alter, candle, fennel, pope, priest
   - missionaries brought their religious words

Question 18

9. What is the basis of the OE core vocabulary? What about function words?

Answer 18

Germanic
- West-Germanic
- North-Germanic: Scandinavian (they, them, their)

Question 19

10. Give typical features of Scandinavian loan words.

Answer 19

• Function words: they, them, their
• Words beginning with /sk/
• Place-names in the Danelaw
• Family names ending in -son