The History of EnglishThe History of English

How English has Changed How English has Changed Over the Past 1500 YearsOver the Past 1500 Years

OutlineOutline

The Pre-English PeriodThe Pre-English Period The Old English PeriodThe Old English Period The Middle English PeriodThe Middle English Period The Early Modern English PeriodThe Early Modern English Period The Modern English PeriodThe Modern English Period

The Pre-English PeriodThe Pre-English Period

In the Beginning…In the Beginning…

The birth of civilization and language was The birth of civilization and language was Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq and Iran)Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq and Iran)

Proto-WorldProto-World—first language ever spoken—first language ever spoken Traced back 50,000 yearsTraced back 50,000 years Known as the “Mother Tongue”Known as the “Mother Tongue”

Mother of all dead and modern languagesMother of all dead and modern languages

Proto-Indo-EuropeanProto-Indo-European is a daughter is a daughter language; ancestor of European based language; ancestor of European based languageslanguages

Centum vs. SatemCentum vs. Satem

All Proto-Indo-European languages can be All Proto-Indo-European languages can be divided into two major groups:divided into two major groups: CentumCentum—the Western European languages—the Western European languages SatemSatem—the Eastern European and Asian —the Eastern European and Asian

languageslanguages

Difference between groups comes in Difference between groups comes in pronunciation of the word meaning “one pronunciation of the word meaning “one hundred”hundred”

SatemSatem Satem families include:Satem families include:

SlavicSlavic (Russian, Polish, Serbian, etc.) (Russian, Polish, Serbian, etc.) Indo-IranianIndo-Iranian (Hindi, Persian, Kurdish, (Hindi, Persian, Kurdish,

etc.)etc.) AlbanianAlbanian (Gheg and Tosk) (Gheg and Tosk) BalticBaltic (Lithuanian and Latvian) (Lithuanian and Latvian) ArmenianArmenian

CentumCentum

Centum families include:Centum families include: ItalicItalic (Latin, Spanish, French, Italian, (Latin, Spanish, French, Italian,

etc.)etc.) CelticCeltic (Irish, Scottish, Welsh, etc.) (Irish, Scottish, Welsh, etc.) HellenicHellenic (Greek) (Greek) GermanicGermanic (Dutch, German, Yiddish, (Dutch, German, Yiddish,

English, etc.)English, etc.)

Direct Descendants of Direct Descendants of EnglishEnglish

West Germanic

Low German High German

Old DutchModern Low

GermanFrisian

OldEnglish

Modern High German

Yiddish

Dutch

Flemish

Afrikaans

Middle English

Early ModernEnglish

ModernEnglish

The Old English PeriodThe Old English Period

Old English PeriodOld English Period

England inhabited by Celtic TribesEngland inhabited by Celtic Tribes BarbariansBarbarians Violent and crude peopleViolent and crude people DiseasedDiseased

Romans conquer in 55 ADRomans conquer in 55 AD Technology (aqueduct)Technology (aqueduct) RoadsRoads Weaponry and DefenseWeaponry and Defense Latin LanguageLatin Language

Old English PeriodOld English Period

Roman Empire begins to crumbleRoman Empire begins to crumble British Provinces are cut loose around 409 British Provinces are cut loose around 409

ADAD Leave little behind… just a little LatinLeave little behind… just a little Latin

Pict, Scot, and Briton tribes want landPict, Scot, and Briton tribes want land Britons call on aid of 3 German tribesBritons call on aid of 3 German tribes

AnglesAngles SaxonsSaxons JutesJutes

German German tribes invade; tribes invade; mesh to form mesh to form Old EnglishOld English

Other Other barbarian barbarian tribes retreat tribes retreat to Northern to Northern and Western and Western BritainBritain

Old English PeriodOld English Period

597—Pagan Celts converted to Christianity597—Pagan Celts converted to Christianity Brings Latin words back into the mixBrings Latin words back into the mix

787—Scandinavian Invasion; begin 787—Scandinavian Invasion; begin attempt to conquer all of England in 865; attempt to conquer all of England in 865; English fight back (Alfred the Great)English fight back (Alfred the Great)

871—Treaty of Wedmore871—Treaty of Wedmore Establishes the Establishes the DanelawDanelaw—Scandinavian —Scandinavian

England; land north and east of line under England; land north and east of line under Viking RuleViking Rule

The Four Dialects of Old English Northumbrian Mercian East Anglican West Saxon

Old English PeriodOld English Period

1000—the epic 1000—the epic Beowulf Beowulf is writtenis written

1042—1042—Scandinavians Scandinavians blend in with blend in with English English (absorption)(absorption)

1066—Norman 1066—Norman ConquestConquest

Characteristics of Old Characteristics of Old EnglishEnglish

Vowels were pronounced longerVowels were pronounced longer The letters j, q, and v were never The letters j, q, and v were never

used in writing even though the used in writing even though the sounds weresounds were

Primarily of German and Latin Primarily of German and Latin influenceinfluence

Grammatical GenderGrammatical Gender Writing was mostly religiousWriting was mostly religious

The Old English LanguageThe Old English Language

Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum,Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum,Si þin nama gehalgod.Si þin nama gehalgod.To becume þin riceTo becume þin ricegewurþe ðin willa, on eorðan swa on heofonumgewurþe ðin willa, on eorðan swa on heofonumurne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us todæg,urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us todæg,and forgyf us ure gyltas, swa we forgyfað urum and forgyf us ure gyltas, swa we forgyfað urum

gyltendum.gyltendum.and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge, ac alys us and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge, ac alys us

of yfele. soþlice.of yfele. soþlice.