The English language has changed extremely in the last centuries. It was not only reflected in the grammar and vocabulary but also in spelling and pronunciation. English passed two stages, namely Old English, Middle English, and now is in a continual state of change that can be still traced as Modern English.
The motivation of this paper is the historical development of consonants, their application and ability of differentiation and recognition of sounds through the periods. This work presents a useful framework for exploring differences and changes over the time. It is important to compare and trace the changes of the English language history since it can predict the future transformations as well as language innovations.
The aim of this
…show more content…
Conclusions will be based on examples, representing each aspect and modification.
2. Stages of the English language
The history of the English language can be divided into three major periods: Old English (OE), Middle English (ME) and Modern English (ModE) that can be subdivided into Early Modern English (EModE) and Late Modern English (LModE). It is important to have a look at all the periods and stages of development of the 'standard' English since it influenced the whole structure of English, namely sounds, grammar and even spelling.
2.1 Old English (449-1100)
According to A. Campbell (1959:1), Old English also known as Anglo Saxon is ''the vernacular Germanic language of great Britain as it is recorded in manuscripts and inscriptions dating from before about 1100''. The Old English period was marked by such important historical events as occupation of Great Britain by Angles, Saxons, Jutes, and Frisians in 449;conversion to Christianity and introducing of writing; Scandinavian invasion in 787; reign of King Alfred in 871,who promoted the translation of Latin works into English, and composing of the Old English epic Beowulf in
...ine because of technological advances. As Orwell states in his essay “Modern English, especially written English, is full of bad habits which spread by imitation and which can be avoided if one is willing to take the necessary trouble. If one gets rid of these habits one can think more clearly” (446). These bad habit are speaking in text speak instead of proper English. In past centuries we have fought great battles, now we unite against new enemy, the enemy of improper English.
Throughout countless ages the English language has been constructed, comprehended, and perfected in so many different ways. For many years including the present time there are well known linguist and many different sorts of writers who have studied the English language to the absolute core. These linguists as well to writers have researched how different cultures, people with different backgrounds had taken the English language and converted it in their own types of speech, slang, dialect and grammar proving the flexibility of the English language. It is being altered in a vast variety of ways depending on certain circumstances. A specific type of speech that has been studied and still to this day is being argued about is called Ebonics.
Since it’s been a predominant topic of our discussion, let us talk about the infamous English language. We can be sure that it has painstakingly progressed throughout generations of reevaluation and modernization, and has thus become what it is today. It has gone in several directions to try and mesh with the various epochs of language, from the Shakespearean era to the common English slang we use now, we can all agree that English is a language that has been transcending and will continue to transcend into many
The English language has changed tremendously throughout the course of history. It began when the Germanic tribes began immigrating to Britain in the third century. The Anglo-Saxon language evolved into Middle English when France invaded Britain in 1066. The English we know today has flourished from the beginning of our technological advances. The modern English language spoken today began with defining advances of technology including the printing press, vehicles of transportation, and devices used to communicate.
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.
Throughout history, many languages change over time but out of them all I feel English has changed the most. I feel as we go on the way we pronounce words, use slang, rewrite words that have the same meaning but sound differently has changed drastically. I think the main influence on the evolution of the English language would be migration. We the people have moved so much going across countries and other states with English as our default or with broken English or not knowing the language at all. Most out of the United States do have broken English or simply don't know english at all but can identify which language is being heard. No two speak identically either, as they learn English their born language begins to fight with it for example
how the English language has changed in the many years from then until now. The
The English that is spoken today vastly differs from it's older versions. Over time languages will evolve as older words become antiquated and die as new ones are invented. This process is accelerated with technology enabling us to communicate easier and to more people than ever before.
The Old-English or Anglo-Saxon era extends from about 450 to 1066. The Germanic tribes from the Continent who overran England in the fifth century, after the Roman withdrawal, brought with them a language that is the basis of modern English, a specific poetic tradition, and a relatively advanced society. All of these qualities and spirit are exemplified in the eighth-century epic poem Beowulf.
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:
Over the last decade, the English language has taken a great leap forward. And the main reason for that,is modern technology.
Lexical change can also be defined as diachronic change, to refer to the fact that time is the main focus. When speaking about this topic, the most glaring example that comes to mind is the difference between the works of Shakespeare and the modern English of today. Shakespeare’s writing uses Early Modern English, containing words such as ‘thou’, which in today’s English means ‘you’, and ‘art’ which refers to ‘are’ in modern English. While the reason for this shift has not been definitively proven, some researchers have attempted to answer the question. Circa AD 1600, the word ‘you’ played a dual function both as the “polite form used by inferiors to superiors” and as the “neutral, unemotional form of address between social equals” (Barber. 1997). Thou also functioned in two roles, first as the “form of address to social inferiors”, and secondly as a term for “conveying emotional attitudes” (Barber. 1997). Barber’s research implies that ‘you’ is the more formal and polite term, while ‘thou’ is disrespectful, and also used to express familiarity. However, the case is very different today compared to circa AD 1600. ‘You’ is used almost exclusively by all of the English speaking population, while ‘thou’ has faded into obscurity, becoming archaic. Furthermore, ‘you’ is now seen as the common form, used in both formal and informal situations. ‘Thou’ is only found in
Because English is a living language there are frequent changes in the meaning that words carry. These changes can be largely influenced by environment. One of the best examples of this fact is some of the distinct differences between British and American English.
Its result was a new phonemic representation of words and morphemes. This series of linguistic sound changes towards the end of this period, including the Great Vowel Shift, resulted in the i in mine. The seven long, or tense vowels of Middle English underwent a change. The high vowels /iː/ and /u:/ became diphthongs, and the long vowels increased in tongue height. Long vowels in Middle English had values much like those in Italian and Standard German, but in standard Modern English they have entirely different pronunciations. This saw /iː/ become/aɪ/, /eː/ and /ɛː/ became /iː/, /aː/ became /eɪ/, /uː/ became/aʊ/, /oː/ became /uː/, and /ɔː/ became /o/ (Fromkin, Rodman, Hyams; 342). These changes are one of the most dramatic examples of sounds shift. As a result of it, the phonemic representation of many words changed. Examples of this include: please—pleasant, sane—sanity, crime—criminal, and sign—signal. The changes that occurred took place over several centuries. It can be divided into two phases. In the first phase, the close vowels /iː uː/ were affected, and the close-mid vowels /eː oː/: /eː oː/ were raised to /iː uː/, and /iː uː/ became the diphthongs /ei ou/ or /əi əu/. Then in the second phase the open vowel /aː/ was affected, and the open-mid vowels /ɛː ɔː/: /aː ɛː ɔː/ were raised, changing to /eː iː oː/(Fromkins, Rodman, Hyams; 343). Prior to this change, the vowels in each pair were
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 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.