A “Lighter” History of the English Language English IV

English has gone through three phases  Old English  Middle English  Modern English  Old English  Middle English  Modern English

Old English  Mid 5 th – Mid 11 th Centuries  Rooted in Germanic languages  Specifically Anglo and Saxon dialects  Mixing of the dialects forms a new language – “Old English”  Almost half of the most common Modern English words have a Germanic root  Examples – be, strong, water  Syntax is Germanic  Mid 5 th – Mid 11 th Centuries  Rooted in Germanic languages  Specifically Anglo and Saxon dialects  Mixing of the dialects forms a new language – “Old English”  Almost half of the most common Modern English words have a Germanic root  Examples – be, strong, water  Syntax is Germanic

Beowulf Side-by-Side translation of the first lines HWÆT! WË GÄRDEna in geärdagum, þëodcyninga þrym gefrünon, hü ðä æþelingas ellen fremedon! Oft Scyld Scëfing sceaþena þrëatum, monegum mågþum, meodosetla oftëah, egsode eorl, syððan årest wearð fëasceaft funden. Hë þæs fröfre gebäd, wëox under wolcnum, weorðmyndum þäh, oðþæt him åghwylc þära ymbsittendra ofer hronräde hÿran scolde, gomban gyldan. Listen! We have heard of the glory of the Spear-Danes' people-kings in bygone days, how then the princes performed deeds of strength! Oft Scyld Scefing took mead-benches away from troops of enemies, from many tribes; the warrior was terrifying, after he was first found helpless. He met with consolation for that, grew under the clouds; throve in honour, until each of the neighbours across the whale-road had to obey him, pay tribute.

Important Old English Works & Authors  Beowulf (Author Unknown)  Epic Anglo-Saxon poem  Beowulf (Author Unknown)  Epic Anglo-Saxon poem

Middle English  Late 11 th to Late 15 th Centuries  1066 – William the Conquer invades England  William is French  William replaces the Anglo-Saxon nobility with the French  Nobility speaks French; peasants speak “Old English”  French and Old English merge in vocabulary and pronunciation  Syntax maintains Germanic roots  Late 11 th to Late 15 th Centuries  1066 – William the Conquer invades England  William is French  William replaces the Anglo-Saxon nobility with the French  Nobility speaks French; peasants speak “Old English”  French and Old English merge in vocabulary and pronunciation  Syntax maintains Germanic roots

The Canterbury Tales The first 10 lines of the Prologue 1: Whan that aprill with his shoures soote 2: The droghte of march hath perced to the roote, 3: And bathed every veyne in swich licour 4: Of which vertu engendred is the flour; 5: Whan zephirus eek with his sweete breeth 6: Inspired hath in every holt and heeth 7: Tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne 8: Hath in the ram his halve cours yronne, 9: And smale foweles maken melodye, 10: That slepen al the nyght with open ye When April with his showers sweet with fruit The drought of March has pierced unto the root And bathed each vein with liquor that has power To generate therein and sire the flower; When Zephyr also has, with his sweet breath, Quickened again, in every holt and heath, The tender shoots and buds, and the young sun Into the Ram one half his course has run, And many little birds make melody That sleep through all the night with open eye

Important Middle English Works & Authors  The Canterbury Tails (Geoffrey Chaucer)  Narrative verse  Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Author Unknown)  Narrative verse  Piers Plowman (William Langland)  Narrative verse  The Canterbury Tails (Geoffrey Chaucer)  Narrative verse  Sir Gawain and the Green Knight (Author Unknown)  Narrative verse  Piers Plowman (William Langland)  Narrative verse

Modern English  Late 15 th Century – Present  Two distinct periods:  Early Modern English – late 15 th – late 17 th Centuries  Modern English – late 17 th Century to Present  The Great Vowel Shift – change in pronunciation of vowels  Late 15 th Century – Present  Two distinct periods:  Early Modern English – late 15 th – late 17 th Centuries  Modern English – late 17 th Century to Present  The Great Vowel Shift – change in pronunciation of vowels

Early Modern English  Begins in the late 15 th Century with the Great Vowel Shift  Further influenced by the dialect spoken in London  Increased travel from the city spreads the dialect  Increased literacy  Pushes for standardization create “self-aware” words such as “accent” and “dialect”  Begins in the late 15 th Century with the Great Vowel Shift  Further influenced by the dialect spoken in London  Increased travel from the city spreads the dialect  Increased literacy  Pushes for standardization create “self-aware” words such as “accent” and “dialect”

Important Early Modern Works & Authors  The Works of “William Shakespeare”  Le Morte d’Arthur (Thomas Malory)  Stories of King Arthur and the round table  Considered an early novel  Robinson Crusoe (Daniel Defoe)  Renaissance and Restoration Drama  The Works of “William Shakespeare”  Le Morte d’Arthur (Thomas Malory)  Stories of King Arthur and the round table  Considered an early novel  Robinson Crusoe (Daniel Defoe)  Renaissance and Restoration Drama

Modern English – What we speak  Late 17 th Century to present  Major difference between Early Modern and Modern is vocabulary  Numerous words added due to global colonization, industrial revolution, and technological advances in general  Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary of the English Language (1755) first full English dictionary  Beginning in 1600s, efforts to standardize the grammar  Late 17 th Century to present  Major difference between Early Modern and Modern is vocabulary  Numerous words added due to global colonization, industrial revolution, and technological advances in general  Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary of the English Language (1755) first full English dictionary  Beginning in 1600s, efforts to standardize the grammar

Major Fails in Modern English Literature  The Twilight Series (and movies)