English 121English 12109/2709/27

--Quiz--Quiz--Influences on Old English--Influences on Old English

--Reasons for loss of --Reasons for loss of inflectional endings inflectional endings

--French influence on English--French influence on English

Language changeLanguage change

We know (from people like Sir William We know (from people like Sir William Jones and Jakob Grimm) that a number of Jones and Jakob Grimm) that a number of languages are related to a single Proto languages are related to a single Proto Indo-European language.Indo-European language.

But…But…

How do we get from Proto-Indo-How do we get from Proto-Indo-European to English?European to English?

Why do languages change?Why do languages change?

Internal ReasonsInternal Reasons

External ReasonsExternal Reasons

Internal reasons: inflectional Internal reasons: inflectional endings on nounsendings on nouns

He He gave me a book for my daughter’s birthdaygave me a book for my daughter’s birthday

NOMINATIVENOMINATIVE: Subject : Subject – HeHe

ACCUSATIVEACCUSATIVE: Direct object of a transitive verb: Direct object of a transitive verb– a booka book

GENITIVEGENITIVE: Indicates possession : Indicates possession – my daughter’smy daughter’s

DATIVEDATIVE: indirect object of verbs; objects of prepositions: indirect object of verbs; objects of prepositions– me; birthdayme; birthday

Internal Reasons: looking at Internal Reasons: looking at language as a systemlanguage as a system

Old English had a complicated system of Old English had a complicated system of word endingsword endings

stán (stone)stán (stone)

Singular Singular Plural Plural

NominativeNominative se stán se stán þá stánasþá stánas

AccusativeAccusative þone stánþone stán þá stánasstánasþá stánasstánas

GenitiveGenitive þæs stánesþæs stánes þára stánaþára stána

DativeDative þæm stáneþæm stáne þæm stánumþæm stánum

Internal reasons (cont’d)Internal reasons (cont’d)

Some nouns had no difference in casesSome nouns had no difference in cases

hus hus (house)(house)

Singular Singular Plural Plural

NominativeNominative hushus hushus

AccusativeAccusative hushus hushus

GenitiveGenitive huseshuses husahusa

DativeDative husehuse husumhusum

Dutch and German are still Dutch and German are still moderately inflected moderately inflected (English has some (English has some

inflections as well)inflections as well)

Internal reasons (cont’d.)Internal reasons (cont’d.)

Complicated words endings reduced to a Complicated words endings reduced to a single vowelsingle voweləə

sofa--sofəsofa--sofə

Some nouns didn’t need word endings Some nouns didn’t need word endings (e.g., (e.g., hushus) so why did others?) so why did others?

Problems with internal reasonsProblems with internal reasons

Other Germanic languages still have many Other Germanic languages still have many inflections but they did not changeinflections but they did not change

Why was a change adopted in the first Why was a change adopted in the first place?place?

External reasonsExternal reasons

Language Contact of mutually intelligible Language Contact of mutually intelligible languageslanguages

Societal structure and language changeSocietal structure and language change

– Examples: Examples: BBC English and RPBBC English and RP

– Change from aboveChange from above

The Queen no longer speaks Queen’s EnglishThe Queen no longer speaks Queen’s English– Change from belowChange from below

Language ContactLanguage Contact

Many Old Norse words will appear familiar, Many Old Norse words will appear familiar, or even completely intelligible, to an or even completely intelligible, to an English-speaker. English-speaker.

"góð" (good)"góð" (good)

"blóð" (blood)"blóð" (blood)

"goð" (god)"goð" (god)

"taka" (take) "taka" (take)

Origin of the Kings of England Origin of the Kings of England (927-1154)(927-1154)

OriginOrigin DateDate

Anglo-SaxonAnglo-Saxon 927-1013927-1013DanishDanish 1013-10141013-1014Anglo-Saxon Anglo-Saxon 1014-10161014-1016Danish Danish 1016-10421016-1042Anglo-Saxon Anglo-Saxon 1042-10661042-1066FrenchFrench 1066-11541066-1154

Loss of inflections…Loss of inflections…

InternalInternal

ExternalExternal

What do you think? What do you think?

French Royalty in EnglandFrench Royalty in England1066--14001066--1400

The Norman KingsThe Norman Kings

1. 1. King William IKing William IAlso known as William the ConquerorAlso known as William the ConquerorReigned 1066-1087Reigned 1066-1087

2.2. King William IIKing William IIReigned 1087-1100Reigned 1087-1100Killed in a hunting "accident"; probably Killed in a hunting "accident"; probably

murderedmurdered

3.3. King Henry IKing Henry IReigned 1100-1135Reigned 1100-1135

4.4. King StephenKing StephenReigned 1135-1154Reigned 1135-1154

The Angevin Kings (French province of The Angevin Kings (French province of Anjou)Anjou)

1.1. King Henry IIKing Henry IIReigned 1154-1189Reigned 1154-1189

2.2. King Richard IKing Richard IReigned 1189-1199Reigned 1189-1199

3.3. King JohnKing JohnReigned 1199-1216Reigned 1199-1216

The Plantagenet Kings (broom flower (The Plantagenet Kings (broom flower (planta genestaplanta genesta))

1.1. King Henry IIIKing Henry IIIReigned 1216-1272Reigned 1216-1272

2.2. King Edward IKing Edward IReigned 1272-1307Reigned 1272-1307

3.3. King Edward IIKing Edward IIReigned 1307-1327Reigned 1307-1327Deposed and murdered in 1327.Deposed and murdered in 1327.

4.4. King Edward IIIKing Edward IIIReigned 1327-1377Reigned 1327-1377

5.5. King Richard IIKing Richard IIReigned 1377-1399Reigned 1377-1399Deposed. Murdered in 1400.Deposed. Murdered in 1400.

Sir Walter Scott, Sir Walter Scott, IvanhoeIvanhoe

At court, and n the castles of the great nobles, At court, and n the castles of the great nobles, where the pomp and state of a court were where the pomp and state of a court were emulated, Norman French was the only emulated, Norman French was the only language employed; in the courts of law, the language employed; in the courts of law, the pleadings of judgments were delivered in the pleadings of judgments were delivered in the same tongue. In short, French was the same tongue. In short, French was the language of honour, of chivalry, and even of language of honour, of chivalry, and even of justice, while the far more manly and expressive justice, while the far more manly and expressive Anglo-Saxon was abandoned to the use of Anglo-Saxon was abandoned to the use of rustics and hinds [farm-servants], who knew no rustics and hinds [farm-servants], who knew no other.other.

What we can take from this quote…What we can take from this quote…

1.1. Social stratification of languageSocial stratification of language

--French—upper class--French—upper class

--English—lower classes--English—lower classes

2.2. English had many speakers—the language English had many speakers—the language was vitalwas vital

3.3. Language contact very different that with the Language contact very different that with the VikingsVikings

Words that reflect areas where Words that reflect areas where French was usedFrench was used

English <English < NormanNormandukeduke << ducduccourtcourt << curt curt

mass<mass< massmassscholar<scholar< clercclerc

war<war< werewerepeace<peace< paispais

Other wordsOther wordsEnglish < English < Norman = FrenchNorman = French

fashion < fashion < faichon = façonfaichon = façon

cabbage < cabbage < caboche = choucaboche = chou

castle < castle < castel = châteaucastel = château

cauldron < cauldron < caudron = chaudroncaudron = chaudron

causeway < causeway < cauchie = chausséecauchie = chaussée

catch < catch < cachi = chassercachi = chasser

cater < cater < acater = acheteracater = acheter

mug < mug < mogue/moque = tassemogue/moque = tasse

wicket < wicket < viquet = guichetviquet = guichet

Doublets: Latin and French Doublets: Latin and French influenceinfluence

Pairs of words that have the same source, but Pairs of words that have the same source, but that differ in meaning because they had been that differ in meaning because they had been introduced into the English language by two introduced into the English language by two separate languages. separate languages.

The Latin and French influence, for instance, The Latin and French influence, for instance, made for many of such word pairs. Latin made for many of such word pairs. Latin vocabulary adopted by the Celts directly became vocabulary adopted by the Celts directly became a part of English. The same vocabulary was a part of English. The same vocabulary was sometimes adopted by the Gauls and introduced sometimes adopted by the Gauls and introduced to English via Norman French. to English via Norman French.

ExamplesExamples

DOUBLETS:DOUBLETS:

adj.adj.--urban: (area) having qualities of a large --urban: (area) having qualities of a large settlementsettlement--urbaine: having a certain sense for culture--urbaine: having a certain sense for culture

nounnoun

--curtsy: female gesture of respect (bending the --curtsy: female gesture of respect (bending the knees) knees) --courtesy: politeness--courtesy: politeness

More possible doublets?More possible doublets?

warranty - guaranteewarranty - guarantee

ward - guardward - guard

warden - guardianwarden - guardian

Next TimeNext Time

CEEL pp. 118-129CEEL pp. 118-129

Homework #2 DueHomework #2 Due

Hand in your “Mother tongue” responsesHand in your “Mother tongue” responses