History of the English Language

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What is the primary influence on the Middle English period?

Norman Conquest, Latin, and French

What is the typical word order of the English language?

Subject-Verb-Object (SVO)

What is the term for the standard British English accent?

Received Pronunciation (RP)

What is the term for words and phrases that facilitate conversation?

Discourse markers

What is the term for adopting words from other languages?

Borrowing

What is the term for the shift in word meanings over time?

Semantic change

What is the name of the language variety that is unique to Australia?

Australian English

What is the term for language in context, considering speaker intention and audience?

Pragmatics

Study Notes

History of the English Language

  • Old English (c. 450-1100): Germanic dialects brought by Anglo-Saxon settlers
  • Middle English (c. 1100-1500): Influence of Norman Conquest, Latin, and French
  • Early Modern English (c. 1500-1800): Renaissance, Renaissance Latin, and Greek
  • Modern English (c. 1800-present): Globalization, technology, and cultural exchange

Linguistic Features

  • Alphabetic script: 26 letters, with additional diacritical marks
  • Tonal language: No distinction between words based on pitch
  • Word order: Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) word order
  • Parts of speech: Nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, prepositions, and conjunctions
  • Tense and aspect: Present, past, and future tenses, with various aspects (e.g., progressive, perfect)

Key Language Varieties

  • Received Pronunciation (RP): Standard British English accent
  • General American (GA): Standard American English accent
  • Australian English: Unique vocabulary, pronunciation, and spelling
  • Non-standard dialects: Regional and social varieties, such as African American Vernacular English (AAVE)

Language in Use

  • Formal and informal registers: Formal writing, informal spoken language
  • Idiomatic expressions: Phrasal verbs, idioms, and colloquialisms
  • Discourse markers: Words and phrases that facilitate conversation (e.g., "you know", "like")
  • Pragmatics: Language in context, considering speaker intention and audience

Language Change and Evolution

  • Borrowing: Adopting words from other languages (e.g., "sushi" from Japanese)
  • Neologisms: New words created to describe modern concepts (e.g., "selfie")
  • Semantic change: Shift in word meanings over time (e.g., "nice" originally meant "foolish")
  • Language contact: Influence of other languages on English vocabulary and grammar

History of the English Language

  • Old English evolved from Germanic dialects brought by Anglo-Saxon settlers around 450-1100
  • Middle English was influenced by the Norman Conquest, Latin, and French from 1100-1500
  • Early Modern English developed from 1500-1800, shaped by the Renaissance, Latin, and Greek
  • Modern English emerged from 1800 onwards, characterized by globalization, technology, and cultural exchange

Linguistic Features

  • English uses an alphabetic script consisting of 26 letters, with additional diacritical marks
  • English is a non-tonal language, where pitch does not distinguish between words
  • English typically follows a Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) word order
  • English has nine parts of speech: nouns, verbs, adjectives, adverbs, pronouns, prepositions, conjunctions, articles, and interjections
  • English tense and aspect system includes present, past, and future tenses, with various aspects like progressive and perfect

Key Language Varieties

  • Received Pronunciation (RP) is the standard British English accent
  • General American (GA) is the standard American English accent
  • Australian English has a unique vocabulary, pronunciation, and spelling
  • Non-standard dialects include regional and social varieties, such as African American Vernacular English (AAVE)

Language in Use

  • Formal and informal registers distinguish between formal writing and informal spoken language
  • Idiomatic expressions include phrasal verbs, idioms, and colloquialisms
  • Discourse markers like "you know" and "like" facilitate conversation
  • Pragmatics considers language in context, taking into account speaker intention and audience

Language Change and Evolution

  • Borrowing involves adopting words from other languages, such as "sushi" from Japanese
  • Neologisms are new words created to describe modern concepts, like "selfie"
  • Semantic change occurs when word meanings shift over time, as seen in "nice" originally meaning "foolish"
  • Language contact influences English vocabulary and grammar, as seen in the impact of other languages on English

Explore the evolution of the English language from Old English to Modern English, including its linguistic features and influences. Discover how the language has been shaped by historical events and cultural exchange.

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