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: Avon, Dover, Kent (…)
• Other words: 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
• 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
• e.g.: lat. castra: Dorchester, Lancaster; port, munt, torr (…)

Question 8

Second Period/ Christianizing

Answer 8

• from about 600 Ad
• missionaries brought their religiious 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; thwaite (clearing, meadow): Satterthwaite
• Family names ending in -son: Davidson
• 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
  2. Mercian
  3. Kentish
  4. West Saxon

Question 14

1. From which date onwards do we have written documentation of the English languages?

Answer 14

731 Bede Venerabilis: Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum

Question 15

2. Who lived on the British Isles before the Romans settled there?

Answer 15

Celts are the first settlers with Indo-European language
- Celtic Settlement

Question 16

3. When did the Romans conquer England? When did they leave?

Answer 16

• 55 BC: Ceasar’s Expedition
  > Romans failed to conquer Britain
• 42 AD: Claudius’ Expedition
  > Romans conquer Britain, Britain becomes a roman province
• 410: Romans leave the British Isles
  > they leave a vacuum of power

Question 17

4. Why did the Germanic tribes come to England?

Answer 17

the Celts asked the Germanic settlement for help against the Picts & Scots

Question 18

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

Answer 18

• Angles
• Saxons
• Jutes

Question 19

6. When did the Christianization take place?

Answer 19

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

Question 20

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

Answer 20

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 21

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

Answer 21

1. Continental Borrowing/ Zero Period
   - cheap, cheese, mile, street, wine
2. Celtic Transmission/ First Period
   - ceaster (Lancaster), port, munt, torr, wic
3. Christianization/ Second Period
   - alter, candle, fennel, pope, priest

Question 22

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

Answer 22

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

Question 23

10. Give typical features of Scandinavian loan words.

Answer 23

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