Language History and Systematics
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Questions and Answers

What makes humans unique according to the text?

Language

The text states that dialects are not considered languages.

False

What is the belief of Cromwell regarding the influence of language?

Language is often influenced by politics.

What is the reason behind the sinking of languages?

<p>Globalization</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which countries belong to the Indo-European language family?

<p>Northern India, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh</p> Signup and view all the answers

The origin of Indo-European languages is traced back to Asia Minor, which encompasses present-day Turkey and parts of Western Asia.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Eastern Thrace is entirely a separate geographical region from Anatolia

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

What happened to Old English during the Norman Conquest?

<p>Old English came to a stop and was devalued.</p> Signup and view all the answers

There is a documented written account of the prehistoric English language.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which tribe inhabited Great Britain before the Anglo-Saxons?

<p>Celts</p> Signup and view all the answers

Approximately how many years ago did the Celts arrive in Britain?

<p>3,000 years</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Celts were considered highly educated by the Romans due to their advanced culture.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

What marked the beginning of the Stone Age?

<p>Stonehenges' creation</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following societal developments have had a significant impact on the relation of languages?

<p>Cultural shifts</p> Signup and view all the answers

What marked the historical impact of the Germanic Conquest in England?

<p>It marked the history of the English language.</p> Signup and view all the answers

Among the four Germanic tribes, which settled in areas that eventually became known as East Anglia, Mercia, and Northumbria?

<p>Angles</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which Germanic tribe settled in Kent, the Isle of Wight, and parts of Hampshire?

<p>Jutes</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Frisians, though less prominent in historical records, made a significant contribution to the settlement of various parts of Britain.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

What language did the Celts speak?

<p>Celtic</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Celtic language is still spoken today in Wales

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The English language we currently speak is influenced by Irish and Scottish English.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Roman Empire's influence on Celtic Britain lasted until the beginning of the 5th century.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

What language was spoken during the Roman Empire's reign over British lands?

<p>Latin</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following are examples of Roman influences on Celtic Britain?

<p>Roads</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Hadrian Wall was built to divide Scotland and Roman Britain.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the term "Britannia" refer to?

<p>Part of the Roman Empire</p> Signup and view all the answers

The southern part of Britain remained under the control of the Roman Empire for about 400 years.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

What are examples of loanwords borrowed from Latin into English?

<p>Wall, kitchen, wine, mile, street, human</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Celts eventually adopted the Germanic ethnicity despite maintaining their own cultural practices.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the alphabet used by the Anglo-Saxons before the adoption of the Latin alphabet?

<p>Runic (Futhark) Alphabet</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Runic alphabet is believed to have originated from the Mediterranean.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Runic alphabet was widely used by the Anglo-Saxons during their period.

<p>False</p> Signup and view all the answers

The Venerable Bede was renowned for his expertise in the Latin language.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

What was the name of Bede's most famous work?

<p>Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum (The Ecclesiastical History of the English People)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What system did Bede popularize for dating historical events?

<p>Anno Domini (AD) system</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to Bede, the Angles, Saxons, Jutes, and Frisians migrated to Britain during the early 400-500 CE.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Bede believed that the Celtic tribes gradually retreated to specific regions like Wales, Ireland, and Brittany.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following Celtic languages is mainly spoken in Scottish Highlands?

<p>Scottish Gaelic</p> Signup and view all the answers

Where is the Irish language mainly spoken in Ireland?

<p>Southern and central Ireland and Donegal</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following Celtic languages is primarily spoken in Northern and Western Wales?

<p>Welsh</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the name of the Celtic language mainly spoken in small parts of Cornwall?

<p>Cornish (Kernowek)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Breton is primarily spoken in parts of Bretagne, France and utilizes the Celtic language.

<p>True</p> Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Language is Systematic

  • Language is universal and unique to humans
  • Language can be separated from dialects, although sometimes dialects are considered regional languages.
  • Language is often influenced by politics.
  • Languages can become extinct due to globalization.
  • English describes a specific area of Great Britain.
  • Germanic languages are fundamental to English.
  • French and Celtic languages also influenced English.
  • Many variations of English exist globally.

Indo-European Language Family

  • Originated in Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) and Eastern Thrace (Turkey).
  • The family dates back approximately 10,000 years.

Language History - External

  • Languages are related through vernacular and societal development.
  • Socio-historical developments affect language.
  • Language evolves culturally.

Language History - Internal

  • Language forms change over time.
  • Socio-cultural factors impact linguistic change
  • Stonehedge's formation, approximately 5,000 years ago, marks a particular period in language history.
  • Today's English is a product of a sequence of historic influences, from prehistoric times through to middle English.

English Language History

  • Old English existed from 5th-12th century.
  • The Norman Conquest (French influence) halted/devalued Old English.
  • No written accounts of prehistoric English exist.

Phase 1: Before the Anglo-Saxons

  • Celts inhabited Britain before the Anglo-Saxons
  • Britain had inhabitants for 50,000 years.
  • Celts invaded Britain 3,000 years ago.

Phase 2: The Anglo-Saxons

  • The Germanic Conquest (5th Century/449 AD) marked a significant turning point in English language history.
  • The Four Germanic Tribes (Angles, Saxons, Jutes, Frisians) settled in different parts of Britain, shaping the language.

The Venerable Bede (673-735)

  • A significant scholar of the Anglo-Saxon period.
  • Wrote in Latin.
  • Known for "Ecclesiastical History of the English People" (Historia Ecclesiastica Gentis Anglorum).
  • Popularized the Anno Domini (AD) dating system.

Celtic Languages in the 21st Century

  • Scottish Gaelic, Irish or Irish Gaelic, Welsh, Cornish, or Breton are examples of Celtic languages still spoken today.

Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms

  • Seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms existed in England, each with unique dialects.

Old English Word Stock

  • Primarily Germanic in origin.
  • Some vocabulary survived from earlier periods.

The Scandinavians

  • Raided the east coast of England in the 8th Century.
  • Vikings conquered East Anglia, Northumberland and Mercia.
  • Brought significant influence on the English language.

Late Anglo-Saxon England

  • Alfred the Great (King of Wessex) resisted the Danes, preventing loss of England to the Danes.
  • Treaty between Alfred and Guthrum (Dane King) to Christianize Danes and establish Danelaw.
  • The English language evolved alongside political shifts and cultural influences.

Middle English (1066-1500)

  • Norman Conquest - French influence on English
  • Latin dominated record-keeping in the courts.
  • Norman-French was the language of the courts.
  • Anglo-French and Anglo-Norman were the terms for a language developed from French.
  • The Doomsday book exemplifies this.

The Black Death (1348-1351)

  • A major epidemic that significantly influenced the English language.
  • The plague caused a considerable decrease in the number of French nobles/Norman speakers, leading to a shift in dominant language.
  • Lower classes assumed greater prominence in English-speaking society.

The Hundred Years' War (1337-1453)

  • A prolonged conflict between England and France.
  • The war played a role in solidifying English as a separate and increasingly important language for England.

End of the Middle English Period

  • Print Press (1479) and American colonization (1492)
  • The standardization of the English language facilitated by William Caxton's print press.
  • The globalization of the English language began with British colonization.

English Morphology and Syntax

  • Old English was heavily inflectional.
  • Middle English gradually shifted towards a more analytic structure, with fewer inflections and a more fixed word order.
  • Grammatical gender disappeared earlier in Middle English.

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English Language History PDF

Description

Explore the systematic nature of language and its evolution through time. This quiz covers the origins of language, influences from various dialects, and the socio-historical factors that contribute to linguistic changes. Test your knowledge on the Indo-European language family and the impact of globalization on languages.

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