Reading of Chapter four in the textbook titled " Foreign Influences on Old English,” the followings are the terms that came across as interesting and necessary for the understanding of the extent of foreign influence on the old English language:
• Continental borrowing: This is the first period of Latin borrowing that happened through the Germanic contact with the Romans before their invasion and settlement in Britain. It is also described as the Latin influence of the Zero period (Baugh & Cable, 2001).
• Palatal Diphthongization: This is the change in the pronunciation of diphthongs. By this sound-change, an “ae” and e in early Old English was changed to a diphthong (“ea” and “ie” respectively) when preceded by certain palatal consonants “c, g, sc” (Baugh & Cable, 2001).
• Celtic transmission: Celtic transmission refers to the transmission of Latin words into Old English through the association of Celts with the English. The Celts had adopted a considerable number of Latin words but very few words were adopted by the Anglo-Saxons who did not share a harmonious relationship with the Celts. (Baugh & Cable, 2001).
• Modus vivendi: The literal meaning of the term modus vivendi is "manner of living". However, it is used to describe a working arrangement that disputing parties can live with, at least until a more permanent solution can be found (Cornog, 1994). While discussing the amalgamation of the Scandinavians with the old English, Baugh & Cable introduce the term "modus vivendi" to describe the policy followed by the English kings to reestablish their power in Danelaw.
Questions/issues:
While studying the history behind the Latin and the Scandinavian influence on the Old English language, I wondered the following:
• Why d...
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Works Cited
Assimilation. (n.d.) . In Cambridge Dictionaries Online. Retrieved from http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/assimilation_1?q=assimilation
Baugh, A.C., & Cable, T. (2001). A history of the English language (5th ed.). Abingdon, UK: Routledge.
Cornog, M. W. (1993). Merriam-Webster's vocabulary builder. Merriam-Webster.
Cornog, M.W. (1994). Merriam-Webster's Vocabulary Builder. U.S: Merriam-Webster.
Labial. (n.d.) . In Cambridge Dictionaries Online. Retrieved from http://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/british/labial_1?q=labial
Plowman, P. Middle English Literature: 1066–1500. Palgrave Machmilan, p.34-72.
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As the English language was beginning to develop, words were being borrowed from the French, Latin, and Scandinavian. Majority of the words used in the diary entry are words from each of these countries. For example, the lexis ‘Admerall’ was of a French origin. The lexis ‘gunnes’ was of a Scandinavian orgin and finally the lexis ‘nobull’ was of a Latin origin. All these words are commonly used in Present Day English, however, the spelling of the words are dissimilar. Large-scale borrowing of new words often had serious consequences for the meanings and the stylistic register of those words, but, various new stylistic layers emerged in the lexicon, which could be employed for a variety of different
The. Encyclopedia Britannica. 1827-1901 ed. , Vol. II. The syllable of the syllable.
Tharaud, Barry. “Anglo-Saxon Language and Traditions in Beowulf.” In Readings on Beowulf, edited by Stephen P. Thompson. San Diego: Greenhaven Press,1998.
May, Robert. “Lesson 6: The Early Modern Period.” English 110S Course Notes. Queen’s University. Kingston. Summer 2010. Course Manual.
...uite different and that the conditions necessary for the emergence of a fully-fledged creole language were never met in the US. These scholars have shown on a number of occasions that what look like distinctive features of AAVE today actually have a precedent in various varieties of English spoken in Great Britain and the Southern United States. It seems reasonable to suggest that both views are partially correct and that AAVE developed to some extent through restructuring while it also inherited many of its today distinctive features from older varieties of English, which were once widely spoken.
New York, NY: Routledge, pp. 113-117. 160. The syllable of the syllable. Perterson, L.K., & Cullen, Cheryl. 2000. The.
Cultures and languages have not always been the way they presently are. Nations and traditions evolve based on the events that happen and the people who cause them to occur. For example, the Angles, Jutes, and Saxons were a dynamic trio that integrated into England between A.D. 400 and A.D. 500. This triad, known as the Anglo-Saxons, established encampments in England reminiscent of their German dynasties (White). Like any other group of people, they bestowed elements of their heritage that impacted present-day’s culture and languages. The invasion and settlement of the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes left a lasting impression on European culture, literature, and language.
Mitchell, Bruce and Robinson, Michael A Guide To Old English, fifth edition 1992 , Blackwell Publishers , Oxford .
In Johnson’s preface to A Dictionary of the English Language, Johnson argues the importance of preserving language. Other dialects had a produced their own dictionaries, such as the French and Italians. Various writers of the eighteenth century were alarmed at the fact that there was no standard for the English language, since there was no standard it could easily become extinct. Johnson explored many points, such as how and why languages change as well as how many words are formed.
Bibliography GRADDOL, D., LEITH, D., and SWANN, J., (eds) (1996) English: history, diversity and change, Routledge in association with The Open University (course book) University College of London Phonetics department website (www.phon.ucl.ac.uk/home/estuary/queen2.htm) entered on 23/3/03
Mollin, S., 2006. “English as a Lingua Franca: A New Variety in the New Expanding Circle?”, The Nordic Journal of English Studies 5(2), pp. 41-57. Available from
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The settlement of the British Isles by north Europeans followed by Norman French paints the backdrop to this essay which will focus on the period between the early 15th and 17th centuries, when a'standard' English language evolved. It will show that modern-day English is very different to that first introduced to the British Isles, but by identifying changes through time, its continuity can be demonstrated. Finally, it will suggest that present day English is in a position analogous to that which existed before the Norman invasion, when there were many varieties and dialects, and that this may lead to its decline as a global language, due to decreasing intelligibility. The beginnings of English can be found in the occupation of England from the 5th century by north and west German ethnic groups who brought their 'indigenous dialects' (Seargeant, P. 2012, p. 1). The Oxford English Dictionary defines English as 'Of or related to the West Germanic language spoken in England and used in many varieties throughout the world' (Seargeant, P. 2012, p. 7).