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The History of English

The History of English. How English has Changed Over the Past 1500 Years. Outline. The Pre-English Period The Old English Period The Middle English Period The Early Modern English Period The Modern English Period. The Pre-English Period. In the Beginning….

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The History of English

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  1. The History of English How English has Changed Over the Past 1500 Years

  2. Outline • The Pre-English Period • The Old English Period • The Middle English Period • The Early Modern English Period • The Modern English Period

  3. The Pre-English Period

  4. In the Beginning… • The birth of civilization and language was Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq and Iran) • Proto-World—first language ever spoken • Traced back 50,000 years • Known as the “Mother Tongue” • Mother of all dead and modern languages • Proto-Indo-European is a daughter language; ancestor of European based languages

  5. Centum vs. Satem • All Proto-Indo-European languages can be divided into two major groups: • Centum—the Western European languages • Satem—the Eastern European and Asian languages • Difference between groups comes in pronunciation of the word meaning “one hundred” • English is a Centum language

  6. Direct Descendants of English

  7. The Old English Period

  8. Old English Period • England inhabited by Celtic Tribes • Barbarians • Violent and crude people • Diseased • Romans conquer in 55 AD • Technology (aqueduct) • Roads • Weaponry and Defense • Latin Language

  9. Old English Period • Roman Empire begins to crumble • British Provinces relinquished in 409 AD • Leave little behind… just a little Latin • Celtic fight over land • One tribe calls on aid of 3 German tribes • Angles • Saxons • Jutes

  10. German tribes invade; mesh to form Old English • Celtic • Anglian • Saxon • Jute • Other barbarian tribes retreat to Northern and Western Britain

  11. Old English Period • 597—Pagan Celts converted to Christianity • Language of the Church is Latin • 787—Scandinavian Invasion • Attempt to conquer all of England in 865 • English fight back (Alfred the Great) • 871—Treaty of Wedmore • Establishes the Danelaw—Scandinavian England; land north and east of line under Viking Rule

  12. Influences on English • Celtic • Anglian • Saxon • Jute • Latin • Scandinavian

  13. Old English Period • 1000—the epic Beowulf is written • 1042—Scandinavians blend in with English (absorption) • 1066—Norman Conquest • End of the Old English Period

  14. Characteristics of Old English • Vowels were pronounced longer • The letters j, q, and v were never used in writing even though the sounds were • Grammatical Gender • Much like French • Writing dealt with themes of religion and isolation

  15. The Old English Language Fæder ureþuþeeart on heofonum, Si þinnamagehalgod. To bekumeþinrike gewurþeðinwilla, on eorðanswa on heofonum urnegedæghwamlikanhlafsyle us todæg, and forgyf us uregyltas, swa we forgyfaðurumgyltendum. and ne gelædþu us on kostnunge, akalys us of yfele. soþlike.

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