A Very Brief History of the English Language

Old English  Middle English  Early Modern  Late Modern Old English  Middle English  Early Modern  Late Modern Beowulf Canterbury Tales MacbethHeart of Darkness Beowulf Canterbury Tales MacbethHeart of Darkness The English Continuum…

The Celts 3000 BC  Various tribes with common language, religion, and customs Various tribes with common language, religion, and customs Lacked writing system, but found ways to express themselves… Lacked writing system, but found ways to express themselves…

55 B.C. Roman Invasion Influence? Language: Greek and Roman (1 st Latin influence) Religion: Christianity Roman withdrawal in 410 AD left them vulnerable to attack

The Germanic Invasion Angles (Denmark), Saxons (N. Germany), and Jutes (?) Angles (Denmark), Saxons (N. Germany), and Jutes (?) Centuries of ethnic cleansing/ intermarrying Centuries of ethnic cleansing/ intermarrying Germanic language-Beginning of Old English Germanic language-Beginning of Old English Latin influence (2 nd ): Anglo Saxons convert to Christianity Latin influence (2 nd ): Anglo Saxons convert to Christianity

Map of Anglo- Saxon England

The Norman Invasion William the Conqueror (Duke of Normandy) William the Conqueror (Duke of Normandy) Institutes feudalism Institutes feudalism Anglo-Norman (Dialect of Old French) Anglo-Norman (Dialect of Old French) Polite society speaks French for 300 years! Polite society speaks French for 300 years! (3 rd Latin Influence) (3 rd Latin Influence)

English as the Native Tongue: 1204 AD: King John loses Normandy to France 1204 AD: King John loses Normandy to France England  chief concern for nobility England  chief concern for nobility Adopted modified English as native tongue Adopted modified English as native tongue

The Black Death : One third of population died : One third of population died Laboring and Merchant  economic and social importance Laboring and Merchant  economic and social importance Rise of English! (compared to Anglo- Norman) Rise of English! (compared to Anglo- Norman)

Middle English Combination of Old English and French Combination of Old English and French Incorporate Middle English into YOUR vocabulary! Anon: right away Anon: right away No force: [I] don't care No force: [I] don't care Gramercy: many thanks Gramercy: many thanks

The Statute of Pleading English  language of courts and parliament English  language of courts and parliament Nobility = Commoners (linguistically) Nobility = Commoners (linguistically)

The Renaissance and Early Modern English Middle English  Modern English: Middle English  Modern English: Revival of classical study (4 th Latin influence) Revival of classical study (4 th Latin influence) The Great Vowel Shift (1400) The Great Vowel Shift (1400) crime: criminal please: pleasant grateful: gratitude abound: abundant goose: gosling crime: criminal please: pleasant grateful: gratitude abound: abundant goose: gosling Printing Press (1476 in England) Printing Press (1476 in England)

Late-Modern English 1800-Present 1800-Present Expanded vocabulary: Expanded vocabulary: Industrial and Scientific Revolution Industrial and Scientific Revolution EX: Oxygen, protein, nuclear, vaccine (Classical) EX: Oxygen, protein, nuclear, vaccine (Classical) British Empire British Empire EX: Shampoo, pajamas, juggernaut (Hindi and other Indian languages) EX: Shampoo, pajamas, juggernaut (Hindi and other Indian languages) Military Influence Military Influence EX: Blockbuster, camouflage, radar, nosedive EX: Blockbuster, camouflage, radar, nosedive Technological Revolution Technological Revolution

American English Colonization  1600 Colonization  1600 Pronunciations and usages “froze” Pronunciations and usages “froze” EX: Autumn  Fall EX: Autumn  Fall EX: Rubbish  Trash EX: Rubbish  Trash Native American influence Native American influence EX: Mississippi, raccoon, barbecue, and tomato  Native American EX: Mississippi, raccoon, barbecue, and tomato  Native American Spanish Influence Spanish Influence EX: Mustang, canyon, ranch, stampede EX: Mustang, canyon, ranch, stampede

Old English (c. 1000) : Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum si þin nama gehalgod tobecume þin rice gewurþe þin willa on eorðan swa swa on heofonum urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us to dæg and forgyf us ure gyltas swa swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge ac alys us of yfele soþlice. Middle English (Wyclif, 1384): Oure fadir þat art in heuenes halwid be þi name; þi reume or kyngdom come to be. Be þi wille don in herþe as it is doun in heuene. yeue to us today oure eche dayes bred. And foryeue to us oure dettis þat is oure synnys as we foryeuen to oure dettouris þat is to men þat han synned in us. And lede us not into temptacion but delyuere us from euyl. Early Modern English (King James Version, 1611) : Our father which art in heauen, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen. Giue us this day our daily bread. And forgiue us our debts as we forgiue our debters. And lead us not into temptation, but deliuer us from euill. Amen.