OLD ENGLISH OLD ENGLISH VOCABULARYVOCABULARY
Theme 6.
AIMS:AIMS:to identify the Celtic influence on Old Germanic, Old English, and later English;
to explore the Latin influence on Old English;
to figure out evidence for extensive Scandinavian
influence during the Old English period;
to understand the processes of word-building in
Old English.
Points for DiscussionPoints for Discussion
Introduction1. General Overview of the Old English Vocabulary2. Native Words3. Foreign Element in the Old English Vocabulary
3.1. Celtic Loans 3.2. Latin Loans 3.3. Scandinavian Influence
4. Word-Formation in Old English 4.1. Word Structure 4.2. Ways of Word-Formation
5 Stylistic Stratification of the Old English Vocabulary Conclusion
Key-Terms to Know Key-Terms to Know lexiconlexicon etymological layeretymological layer native wordsnative words common IE wordscommon IE words common Germanic wordscommon Germanic words specifically Old English wordsspecifically Old English words lexical invasionslexical invasions loans loans borrowingsborrowings word-formationword-formation word-derivationword-derivation word-compositionword-composition
Literature:Literature: Obligatory:Obligatory: David David CrystalCrystal. The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of The . The Cambridge Encyclopaedia of The
English Language.—Cambridge University Press.—English Language.—Cambridge University Press.—1994.—PP. 22-271994.—PP. 22-27
Elly van Gelderen. A History of the English Elly van Gelderen. A History of the English Language. – John Benjamins Publishing Company.—Language. – John Benjamins Publishing Company.—Amsterdam/Philadelphia..—. 2006.—PP.90-99Amsterdam/Philadelphia..—. 2006.—PP.90-99
Valery V. Mykhailenko. Paradigmatics in the Valery V. Mykhailenko. Paradigmatics in the Evolution of English. - Chernivtsi, - 1999. PP 116-131Evolution of English. - Chernivtsi, - 1999. PP 116-131
T.A. Rastorguyeva. A History of English. - Moscow, T.A. Rastorguyeva. A History of English. - Moscow, 1983. - PP. 131-1481983. - PP. 131-148
L.Verba. History of the English language. - Vinnitsa, L.Verba. History of the English language. - Vinnitsa, 2004. - PP. 90-1012004. - PP. 90-101
AdditionalAdditional Аракин В. Д. История английского языка. - М., Аракин В. Д. История английского языка. - М.,
1985. - C. 1985. - C. 92-10292-102
OLD ENGLISH VOCABULARYOLD ENGLISH VOCABULARY
Native Words Borrowings
Common IE Words Celtic Loans
Common Germanic Words Latin Loans
Specifically OE Words Scandinavian
Influence
Common Indo-European Common Indo-European WordsWords
natural phenomena
plants and animals
agricultural terms
parts of the human body
terms of kinship
verbs adjectives pronouns numerals
Common Indo-European Words In OECommon Indo-European Words In OE
Terms of Kinship
OE German Greek Latin Ukrainian Sanscrit
fœder Vater pater pater
broþor Bruder frater брат
modor Mutter meter mater мати
dohtor Tochter thygater дочкa
sunu Sohn син sunu
Common Indo-European Words in OECommon Indo-European Words in OE ((continued)continued)
Natural phenomena, everyday objects and things
OE German Greek Latin Ukrainian Sanscrit
mona Mond mene
niht Nacht nox ніч nakt
treo, (treow) drus-oak дерево dru forest
woeter Wasser hydoe unda вода
fyr Feuer pyr
In the In the Indo-European stockIndo-European stock we find such we find such English wordsEnglish words as: as:
bull
crow
cat
fish
hare
hound
goose
mouse
wolf
hard
light
quick
right
red
slow
raw
thin
white
to bear
to come
to know
to lie
to mow
to sit
to sow
to stand
to work
to tear
Words of Common Germanic StockWords of Common Germanic Stock OEOE OHGOHG GtGt O Icel O Icel
NENE hand hant handus hợnd hand hant handus hợnd
handhand sand sant --- sandr sand sant --- sandr
sandsand eorþe erda airþa jợrð eorþe erda airþa jợrð
earthearth singan singan siggwan singva singan singan siggwan singva
singsing findan findan finþan finna findan findan finþan finna
findfind grēne gruoni --- grǽn grēne gruoni --- grǽn
greengreen steorfan sterban --- --- steorfan sterban --- ---
starvestarve
scrēap scâf --- --- scrēap scâf --- --- sheepsheep fox fuhs --- --- fox fuhs --- --- foxfox macian mahhon --- --- macian mahhon --- --- makemake hūs hûs hus hús hūs hûs hus hús househouse drincan trinkan drigkan drekka drincan trinkan drigkan drekka drinkdrink land lant land land land lant land land landland sǽ sēo saiws sǽr sǽ sēo saiws sǽr seasea wisdōm wístuom --- vísdómr wisdōm wístuom --- vísdómr wisdomwisdom
Specifically Old English WordsSpecifically Old English Words
These words are few:
OE NE
clipian call
brid bird
We include OE compounds formed from Germanic roots:
wīfman woman
consists of two roots and formed a compound only in OE:
OHG O Icel. NE OE Gt
wīb víf wife man mann
The ratio between common IE words, The ratio between common IE words, common Germanic words, and common Germanic words, and specifically OE words is: specifically OE words is: 2:1:0,52:1:0,5
IEwords
Germanic
OE
words
words
Native words of the OE vocabulary
Native Words ClassificationNative Words Classification
Words of Indo-European stock Words of Common Germanic
(having cognates in the stock (having parallels in vocabularies of different German, Dutch, Norwegian
Indo-European languages) etc. but none in French)
-1- -2-
1.Terms of kinship: 1. Nouns:
father, mother, son, acorn, apple, ankle, bath,
brother, daughter bear, berry, boy, bread
bull, breast, calf, child,
cow, crane, summer,
winter, storm, rain, ice,
Native words classification (Native words classification (continuedcontinued)) ground, bridge, dog, house,
shop, room, iron, lead, cloth,
hat, shirt, shoe, care, evil, hope,
life, need, rest
2. Calendar: sun, moon, 2. Verbs: bake, bind, burn, buy,
day, month, year break, can, come, drive, draw,
hear, keep, learn, make, meet,
rise, see, send, shoot
3. Names of animals and 3. Adjectives: broad, brown,
birds: bull, horse, cow, cold, cunning, dead, deaf,
sheep, dog, hen, goat, deep, damp
Native words classification Native words classification (continued(continued)) swine, fish, cat, crow, cock, goose, wolf, beaver
4. Parts of the body: arm, 4. Adverbs: behind, but, much, hand, eye, foot, heart, still, well, yet chin, bone
5. Common verbs: be, do, go, 5. Pronouns: I, he, we,
have, come, ask, eat, see, you, it, self, this
sit, send, sell, think, bear,
stand, love, kiss, drink, fly,
swim, help, beat
Native words classification Native words classification ((continuedcontinued))
6. Common adjectives: 6. Prepositions:
hard, quick, slow, white, by, for, in, of, to, with
black, wide, long, good, dark, bare
7. Most numerals 7. Most numerals
8. Words naming the most important objects and phenomena of nature: star, wind, water, wood, hill,
stone, door, tree
Native words. Characteristic featuresNative words. Characteristic features
Characteristic feature Illustration
1.High frequency value They constitute 80% of the
500 most frequent words.
2.Wide range of lexical Heel of Achilles; head over
and grammatical valency heels; cool one΄s heels;
take to one΄s heels; show a
clear pair of heels.
3.Developed polysemy Finger: 1) part of body
2) part of a glove
3) hand of a clock
Native words. Characteristic features Native words. Characteristic features ((continuedcontinued))
4. Monosyllabic structure Sun, go, do, door, tree.
5. Great word-building power Watch, watcher, watchful,
watchfulness, watch-out,
watchward, watch-dog.
6. Enter a number of set Be on the watch, watch one΄s
expressions step, keep watch, watchful
as a hawk.
Foreign Element in the Old English Foreign Element in the Old English VocabularyVocabulary
Celtic Latin Scandinavian
loans loans influence
three two results appeared
phases influences in OE, mainly ME
The Celtic languages influence The Celtic languages influence English in three phases English in three phases
The first phase involves loans into Germanic on the Continent
The second one covers adoptions into OE ( both before and after the Introduction of Christianity)
The third phase involves the influence of the Celtic languages after the OE period
(Elly van Gelderen)
The first phaseThe first phase——aa great deal of great deal of archaeological evidence of archaeological evidence of CelticCeltic presence presence
in in EuropeEurope before before 450450
Latin may have borrowed carrus “wagon”
lancia “lance”
Rhine
Danube
Armagnac
Cognac
Words such as dun “hill” are present are present in both
Celtic and Germanic.
OE O Celtic
beak bacc
The secondThe second phasephase——evidence of contacts evidence of contacts between between Old EnglishOld English and and CelticCeltic after after 450450
1.Place names: Thames, Avon, Don, Exe, Leeds, Arden, Usk, Wye, Dover, Dorchester, Cardiff, Belfast, Kent, London. 2.Landscape terms: cairn “heap of stones” glen “valley”, loch “lake”, torr “rock” or “peak” dolmen “rock”, bar “top”, bre “hill”, llyn “lake”, cumb “deep valley”.3.Irish missionaries introduced dry “magician”, anchor some Celtic into Old English “hermit”, story, cross, (during the 7th century) curse
The The third periodthird period of Celtic influence coved of Celtic influence coved the loans after the loans after the Germanic and Old the Germanic and Old
English periods afterEnglish periods after 14001400
The phrase “Celtic origin is out of the question” appears frequently, as in the case of basket, bachelor, and baron. Some clear borrowings are: clan
bard
plaid
slogan
shamrock
galore
whisky
vassal
HybridsHybrids(the Celtic component, combined with a Latin or a (the Celtic component, combined with a Latin or a
Germanic component, made a compound place-name)Germanic component, made a compound place-name)
Celtic plus Latin Celtic plus Germanic
Man-chester York-shire
Win-chester Corn-wall
Glow-cester Salis-bury
Wor-cester Lich-field
Devon-port Devon-shire
Lan-caster Canter-bury
Don-caster Wilt-shire
Ciren-cester Berk-shire
Some Some personal namespersonal names from from CelticCeltic
The Celtic names used by Anglo-Saxon nobility:
Cœdwalla- king of Wessex in 685
Ceadda
Cedd
Cealwin
Cerdic
Cumbra
Cædmon- the first Christian poet
of the 7th c.
Not a great influx of Celtic loanwords into OE remains one of the great puzzles in the history of the language. (see David Crystal. The Stories of English.—2004:33)
Early Latin Loans during the Early Latin Loans during the Continental Continental periodperiod
Old English New English Latin Origin
belt belt balteus
butere butter butyrum
camp field, battle campus
candel candle candela
catt cat cattus
ceaster city castra
cetel kettle catillus
cupp cup cuppa
cycene kitchen coquina
cyse cheese caseus
Early Latin Loans Early Latin Loans (continued)(continued)
Old English New English Latin Origin
draca dragon draco
mæsse mass missa
mil mile mille
minte mint menta
munuc monk monachus
mynster minster monasterium
panne pan panna
piper pepper piper
pise pea pisum
plante plant planta
Early Latin Loans Early Latin Loans (continued)(continued)
Old English New English Latin Origin
port door, gate porta
port harbour, town portus
pund pound pondo
sacc sack, bag saccus
sinoð council, synod synodus
stræt road strata
tigle tile tegula
weall wall vallum
win wine vinum
ynce inch uncia
Some of the words borrowed from LatinSome of the words borrowed from Latin450-650450-650
Old English New English Latin Origin
cocc cock coccus
cugle cowl cuculla
cyrtan to shorten curtus
forca fork furca
læden Latin ladinus
mægester master magister
nunne nun nonna
pere pear pirum
pinsian to reflect pensare
Some of the words borrowed from LatinSome of the words borrowed from Latin450-650 450-650 (continued)(continued)
Old English New English Latin Origin
punt punt, flat boat ponto
relic relic reliquia
renge spider aranea
seglian to seal sigillare
segn mark, sign signum
stropp strap stroppus
torr tower turris
turl ladle, trowel trolla
Some of the words borrowed from Some of the words borrowed from Latin Latin
650-1100650-1100Old English New English Latin Origin
altar alter altar
biblioþece library bibliotheca
creda creed, belief credo
cucumer cucumber cucumer
culpe guilt, fault culpa
Diacon deacon diaconus
fenester window fenestra
fers verse versus
grammatic grammar grammatica
Some of the words borrowed from Latin Some of the words borrowed from Latin 650-1100 650-1100 (continued)(continued)
Old English New English Latin Origin
Mamma breast mamma
Notere notary notarius
Offrian sacrifice, offer offere
Orgel organ organum
Papa pope papa
Philosoph philosopher philosophus
Predician preach praedicare
Regol religious rule regula
Sabbat sabbath sabbatum
Scol school scola
Some words borrowed Some words borrowed twicetwice from Latin from Latin during the Old English periodduring the Old English period
Early loan Later loan NE Latin origin
Celc calic cup calicem
Cliroc cleric cleric clericus
Læden latin Latin latinus
Leahtric lactuca lettuce lactuca
Minte menta mint menta
Spynge sponge sponge spongea
Some of the words borrowed from Old Some of the words borrowed from Old Norse in the Old English period: early Norse in the Old English period: early
borrowings (pre-1016)borrowings (pre-1016)
OE NE Old Norse
barða/barda beaked ship barð
ceallian call kalla
dreng warrior drengr
feolaga fellow, mate felagi
husting tribunal husþing
lagu law log
ora Danish coin aurar
targe small shield targa
wrang wrong vrang
Some loans from ScandinavianSome loans from ScandinavianNouns Anger, bull, calf, cake, crop, egg,
fellow, gate, guest, kid, knife, root,
score, sky, skin, skirt, window, wing;
Adjectives Flat, ill, low, loose, odd, rotten, ugly;
Verbs Cast, call, drown, die, guess, thrust,
get, give, raise, scream, seem,
scare, take, thrive, want;
Pronouns They, their, them, same, both;
Forming
Elements Are (to be), -s (3rd person singular)
Scandinavian place namesScandinavian place namesNorwegian Ending in –by,( “farm/town”)—Derby,
Rugby, Naseby, Grimsby
Whitby;
Danish -toft “homestead” and
-thorpe “village”—Lowestoft,
Eastoft, Sandtoft;
Althorp, Astonthorpe,
Linthorpe;
Old English (in contrast ) -borough “fortified place”,
-ham, -ing, -stow, -sted,
-hall, -wic, -ton “village”
According to their morphological structureAccording to their morphological structureOE wordsOE words fell into 3 main types: fell into 3 main types:
simple words derived words compound words
(“root-words”-- (one root-morpheme (more than one
one root- morpheme) and affixes) root-morpheme)
e.g. land, singan, e.g. be-ginnan; e.g. mann-cynn;
gōd; ge-met-ing; weall-geat;
(NE land, sing, (NE begin, (NE mankind,
good); meeting); wall gate);
Two ways of Word-Formation:Two ways of Word-Formation:
Derivation Word-Composition
Affixes: prefixes/suffixes; First components—stems of
Sound Interchange ; nouns, adjectives and verbs;
Word Stress; second components—nouns;
e.g. ā-gān—go away; e,g. bōc-cræft “literature”;
lang—lengþu (long—length) gōd-dǽd “good deed”;
rīdan—rād [i:-a:] Class I, str.v. wīd-cūþ “widely known”;
΄ondswaru n.—ond-΄swarian v. hām-cyme, “home-coming”
Stylistic Stratification of the Old English Stylistic Stratification of the Old English VocabularyVocabulary
neutral words learned words poetic words
(highest frequency (religious, legal (wealth of
of occurrence) character) synonyms)
e.g. mann, bēon e.g. L. animæ domus e.g. 37 words
“dwelling of the soul” for the
concept
“warrior”;
12-”battle”;
17-”sea”;
Questions for Self-ControlQuestions for Self-Control
The OLD The OLD ENGLISH VOCABULARY ENGLISH VOCABULARY :: How did it change? Why did it change?How did it change? Why did it change? Compare the Proto-Germanic vocabulary and Compare the Proto-Germanic vocabulary and
the OE vocabulary the OE vocabulary ; ; b) Describe the means of the word-building in b) Describe the means of the word-building in
OE OE c) Identifyc) Identify llinguistic and extra-linguistic factors inguistic and extra-linguistic factors
that influenced the growth and enrichment of that influenced the growth and enrichment of the English vocabularythe English vocabulary;;
d) define td) define the structure of the English vocabulary he structure of the English vocabulary in the OE periodin the OE period;;
Questions for Self-Control Questions for Self-Control
(continued(continued)) What words are common Indo-European? What words are common Indo-European? What did the common Germanic word What did the common Germanic word
denote denote ?? What means of word-building were used in What means of word-building were used in
OE? OE? What types of word-composition were What types of word-composition were
used in OEused in OE?? . What languages were the . What languages were the sources of borrowing words in OE? sources of borrowing words in OE?