32 Questions
What was the consequence of the Roman Invasion of England in 43CE on the language spoken in Britain?
The Latin language was replaced by the languages of various invading tribes.
What was the outcome of the Norman Conquest of England in 1066CE on the language spoken in England?
Norman French became the ruling class language.
What was the result of the fusion of Norman French and Old English dialects?
The evolution of Middle English.
What was the significance of King Alfred the Great's victory in 784CE?
The Anglo-Saxons dominated and helped establish a sense of national identity.
What was the number of French words that came into English over the next 200 years?
Approximately 10000 French words
Who published Johnson’s Dictionary, creating Standardised English?
Samuel Johnson
What is the term used to describe the meanings associated with particular words or phrases?
Semantics
Which of the following is an example of an unscripted discourse feature?
A conversation between friends
What is the term used to describe the study of language in use, using authentic texts?
Corpus Linguistics
What is the purpose of a questionnaire in data collection?
To gather data from a sample of respondents
What is the term used to describe the way words are used in a particular context to create a specific effect?
Style
Which of the following is a type of spoken language data?
A podcast
What is the term used to describe the structure and organization of sentences?
Syntax
What is the term used to describe the study of language variation and change over time?
Diachronic linguistics
What is the term used to describe the use of authentic texts to study language?
Corpus Linguistics
What is the purpose of annotating texts in data collection?
To compare texts
What dialect of English did writers such as Geoffrey Chaucer use in their writing?
The London dialect
What changed in verb conjugations in the 16th century?
‘-s’ replaced ‘-th’
What is an example of a neologism in social media?
All of the above
Why did capital letters become associated with shouting in online communication?
To show emphasis.
What is the recommended procedure for scientific research in the English language?
Formulation of a hypothesis, design of a method, analysis of data, conclusion and evaluation, bibliography.
What is an example of a research topic in the English language?
All of the above
What is the purpose of narrowing the focus of a research topic?
To make the research more specific.
What is an example of a longitudinal study in language acquisition?
Recording five minutes of spoken language by a two-year-old each week for three months.
What is the purpose of a null hypothesis in scientific research?
To test a hypothesis.
What is an example of a virtuous error in language acquisition?
Using the incorrect form of a verb.
What type of questions should be placed in the middle of a questionnaire?
Questions of importance, requiring thought and extended input
What type of questions should be avoided in a questionnaire, unless given to a specialist audience?
Technical questions
What is the primary purpose of open-ended questions in a questionnaire?
To collect descriptive information
Why should pilot surveys be carried out before conducting a large-scale survey?
To test the questionnaire and analysis procedure
What type of data is measured in terms of categories, such as 'yes/no'?
Nominal data
What is the primary purpose of a well-structured questionnaire?
To ask questions about the research objectives
Study Notes
History of the English Language
- Old English (400-1066): Merging of dialects from various invading tribes, including Picts, Scots, Angles, Saxons, Jutes, and Frisians.
- Middle English (1066-1500): Norman French became the ruling class language after William of Normandy's conquest; Old English survived among the peasantry.
- Early Modern English (1500-1750): Emergence of London dialect as the variety of written and spoken English used by powerful governing bodies.
- Late Modern English (1750-Present): Standardisation of English language through Samuel Johnson's dictionary.
Changes in the 16th Century
- Nouns became usable as verbs (e.g., 'chair', 'rain', 'thunder').
- Auxiliary verbs replaced the inverted verb and subject combo (e.g., 'do you speak?' instead of 'speakest thou?').
- Verb conjugations changed, notably with '-s' replacing '-th' (e.g., 'speaks' instead of 'speaketh').
- Nouns not tied directly to a gender became neuter.
- Word "it" gained a possessive form with "its" and a contracted form "it's".
- Double negatives were no longer seen as proper.
Language Change and Online Communication
- Meaning change in social media, with pre-existing words given new meanings (e.g., 'pin', 'friend', 'troll', 'tablet', 'like', 'tweet', 'page').
- Neologisms (new words) coined, such as 'selfie', 'google', 'phablet', 'hashtag', and 'unfriend'.
- Abbreviations and acronyms emerged (e.g., 'btw', 'lol').
Data Collection for English Language Research
- Formulate a hypothesis and design a suitable method for data collection and handling.
- Analyse the data and draw conclusions.
- Narrow focus to a specific topic, such as child language acquisition or spoken language.
- Use a combination of written and spoken data sources (e.g., advertisements, brochures, news stories, podcasts).
- Consider using corpus linguistics and software tools for data analysis.
Methods of Data Collection
- Recording and transcribing spoken language from the original source.
- Collecting and annotating different texts for comparison.
- Searching online for specific data needed.
- Creating a questionnaire and interviewing respondents or allowing them to complete it themselves.
- Observing participants, such as babies and toddlers, and conversationalists.
- Tracking diachronic changes to word meanings and usage over time.
Questionnaire Design and Use
- Design a questionnaire with simple, polite, and friendly language.
- Ensure the aim of the survey is clearly explained.
- Avoid technical questions unless for a specialist audience.
- Avoid 'loaded' questions that suggest a correct answer.
- Use open-ended and closed questions appropriately.
Data Analysis
- Use statistical methods and consult specialist books and online tutorials as needed.
- Consider different scales of measurement, such as nominal, ordinal, interval, and ratio.
This quiz covers the history of the English language, from Old English to Late Modern English, including the influence of Roman Invasion, Norman Conquest, and the creation of Standardized English.
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