THE HISTORY OF
THE HISTORY OF
THE ENGLISH
THE ENGLISH
LANGUAGE
LANGUAGE
The periodisation of the
The periodisation of the
history of the English
history of the English
language
language
THE HISTORY OF
THE HISTORY OF
THE ENGLISH
THE ENGLISH
LANGUAGE
LANGUAGE
The periodisation of the
The periodisation of the
history of the English
history of the English
language
language
Old English vs. Modern English
Old English vs. Modern English
Consider the following fragments:
Consider the following fragments:
F
F
æder ure þu þe eart on heofonum, si þi
æder ure þu þe eart on heofonum, si þi
nama gehalgod; to-becume þin rice;
nama gehalgod; to-becume þin rice;
gewurþe þin willa on eorðan swa swa
gewurþe þin willa on eorðan swa swa
on heofonum; urne gedæghwamlican
on heofonum; urne gedæghwamlican
hlaf syle us to dæg; and forgyf us ure
hlaf syle us to dæg; and forgyf us ure
gyltas, swa swa we forgyfað urum
gyltas, swa swa we forgyfað urum
gyltendum; and ne gelæd þu us on
gyltendum; and ne gelæd þu us on
costnunge, ac alys us of yfele, soþlice.
costnunge, ac alys us of yfele, soþlice.
(
(
Ælfric, Ælfric’s homilies
Ælfric, Ælfric’s homilies
c. 991/2).
c. 991/2).
Old English vs. Modern English
Old English vs. Modern English
Oure fadir
Oure fadir
þat art in heuenes, halwid be þi
þat art in heuenes, halwid be þi
name; þi reume or kyngdom come to þe.
name; þi reume or kyngdom come to þe.
Be þi wille don in herþe as it is doun in
Be þi wille don in herþe as it is doun in
heuene. Geue to us to-day oure eche
heuene. Geue to us to-day oure eche
dayes bred. And forgiefe to us oure dettis,
dayes bred. And forgiefe to us oure dettis,
þat is oure synnys, as we forgieuen tu
þat is oure synnys, as we forgieuen tu
oure dettouris, þat is to men þat han
oure dettouris, þat is to men þat han
synned in us. And lede us not in-to
synned in us. And lede us not in-to
temptacion, but delyuere us from euil.
temptacion, but delyuere us from euil.
Amen, so be it. (
Amen, so be it. (
Wyclif
Wyclif
ite
ite
, late 14
, late 14
th
th
c.)
c.)
Old English vs. Modern English
Old English vs. Modern English
O oure father, which art in heven, halowed be
O oure father, which art in heven, halowed be
thy name. Let thy kyngdome come. Thy wyll
thy name. Let thy kyngdome come. Thy wyll
be fulfilled, as well in erth, as it ys in heven.
be fulfilled, as well in erth, as it ys in heven.
Geve us thisdaye oure dayly breede. And
Geve us thisdaye oure dayly breede. And
forgeve us oure treaspases, even as we
forgeve us oure treaspases, even as we
forgeve oure tresapcers. . And leade us not
forgeve oure tresapcers. . And leade us not
into temptacion; but delyver us form evell.
into temptacion; but delyver us form evell.
For thyne is the kyngdome and the power,
For thyne is the kyngdome and the power,
and the glorye for ever. Amen.
and the glorye for ever. Amen.
(William Tyndale, 1534)
(William Tyndale, 1534)
Old English vs. Modern English
Old English vs. Modern English
Our father which art in heauen, hallowed
Our father which art in heauen, hallowed
be thy name. Thy kyngdom come. Thy
be thy name. Thy kyngdom come. Thy
will be done in earth, as it is in heauen.
will be done in earth, as it is in heauen.
Giue us this day our daily bread. And
Giue us this day our daily bread. And
forgiue us our debts, as we forgiue our
forgiue us our debts, as we forgiue our
debters. And lead us not into
debters. And lead us not into
temptation, but deliuer us from euill.
temptation, but deliuer us from euill.
For thine is the kyngdome, and the
For thine is the kyngdome, and the
power, and the glory, for euer, Amen.
power, and the glory, for euer, Amen.
(
(
The Authorised Version
The Authorised Version
1611)
1611)
Differences between the
Differences between the
fragments
fragments
Why are Old English texts hard to understand?
Why are Old English texts hard to understand?
1.
1.
Different phonology: e.g.
Different phonology: e.g.
gehalgod
gehalgod
[jehal
[jehal
γ
γ
od], hlaf [hla:f];
od], hlaf [hla:f];
2.
2.
Different morphology:
Different morphology:
heofonum
heofonum
is an
is an
inflected form of
inflected form of
heofon
heofon
‘heaven’
‘heaven’
3.
3.
Words not found in Modern English:
Words not found in Modern English:
rice
rice
‘kingdom’,
‘kingdom’,
costnung
costnung
‘temptation’;
‘temptation’;
4.
4.
Different syntax:
Different syntax:
urne gedæghwamlican
urne gedæghwamlican
hlaf syle us to dæg >
hlaf syle us to dæg >
Giue us this day
Giue us this day
our daily bread
our daily bread
The periodisation of the history of the
The periodisation of the history of the
English language - 1
English language - 1
Compare the
Compare the
following word
following word
forms
forms
OLD ENGLISH
OLD ENGLISH
MIDDLE ENGLISH
MIDDLE ENGLISH
MODERN
MODERN
ENGLISH
ENGLISH
oxa /oksa/
oxa /oksa/
frogga /frogga/
frogga /frogga/
hnutu /hnutu/
hnutu /hnutu/
hringas /hringas/
hringas /hringas/
grene /gre:ne/
grene /gre:ne/
singan /singan/
singan /singan/
drincan /drinkan/
drincan /drinkan/
wæron
wæron
/wæ:ron/
/wæ:ron/
bohton /boxton/
bohton /boxton/
oxe
oxe
frogge
frogge
nute
nute
rynges
rynges
grene
grene
singen
singen
drinken
drinken
weren
weren
boughten
boughten
ox
ox
fron
fron
nut
nut
rings
rings
green
green
sing
sing
drink
drink
were
were
bought
bought
The periodisation of the history of the
The periodisation of the history of the
English language
English language
The criterion of division into Old, Middle, and
The criterion of division into Old, Middle, and
Modern English – the structure of words:
Modern English – the structure of words:
Old English – the period of full endings (e.g.
Old English – the period of full endings (e.g.
–a,
–a,
-u, -e, -as, -an, -on
-u, -e, -as, -an, -on
);
);
Middle English – the period of reduced endings
Middle English – the period of reduced endings
– the most often the vowels in the endings
– the most often the vowels in the endings
were reduced to schwa hence ME
were reduced to schwa hence ME
e
e
corresponds to OE
corresponds to OE
–a, -u, -e,
–a, -u, -e,
ME
ME
–es, -en
–es, -en
correspond respectively to OE
correspond respectively to OE
–as, -an, -on
–as, -an, -on
.
.
Modern English – the period of almost no
Modern English – the period of almost no
endings: the only remnant of the OE inflection
endings: the only remnant of the OE inflection
is the plural ending
is the plural ending
–es
–es
descending from ME
descending from ME
–
–
es
es
and OE
and OE
–as
–as
.
.
The periodisation of the history of the
The periodisation of the history of the
English language.
English language.
The periods in the history of Old English
The periods in the history of Old English
Old English (OE) (ca. 450 – 1150) – Prehistoric OE –
Old English (OE) (ca. 450 – 1150) – Prehistoric OE –
450 – 700; Early OE – 700 – 900; Late OE – ca. 900 –
450 – 700; Early OE – 700 – 900; Late OE – ca. 900 –
1050;
1050;
The transitory period between Old English and
The transitory period between Old English and
Middle English – 1050 – 1150;
Middle English – 1050 – 1150;
Middle English (ME) (1150 – 1450) – Early ME –
Middle English (ME) (1150 – 1450) – Early ME –
1150 – 1300; Late ME – 1300 – 1450
1150 – 1300; Late ME – 1300 – 1450
The transitory period between Middle English and
The transitory period between Middle English and
Modern English – 1450 – 1500.
Modern English – 1450 – 1500.
Modern English (1500 – onwards) – Early Modern
Modern English (1500 – onwards) – Early Modern
English 1500 – 1700, Late Modern English – 1700 –
English 1500 – 1700, Late Modern English – 1700 –
down to the present times.
down to the present times.
The main objectives of the course
The main objectives of the course
1.
1.
The presentation of the main
The presentation of the main
evolutionary tendencies affecting
evolutionary tendencies affecting
the English language
the English language
2.
2.
An attempt at explaining what may
An attempt at explaining what may
have brought about the
have brought about the
simplification of the English
simplification of the English
inflection which is held responsible
inflection which is held responsible
for profound changes in the syntax.
for profound changes in the syntax.
The contents of the course
The contents of the course
1.
1.
The origin of the English language – its typological place
The origin of the English language – its typological place
within the Indo-European languages, the dialects of the
within the Indo-European languages, the dialects of the
Germanic tribes that invaded Britain in 450, the Old
Germanic tribes that invaded Britain in 450, the Old
English dialects;
English dialects;
2.
2.
The grammar of Old English – phonology, morphology –
The grammar of Old English – phonology, morphology –
inflection (nouns, determiners, adjectives, verbs); syntax
inflection (nouns, determiners, adjectives, verbs); syntax
– major word orders;
– major word orders;
3.
3.
Middle English – Early Middle English vs. Late Middle
Middle English – Early Middle English vs. Late Middle
English (lexical changes) – the Middle English dialects –
English (lexical changes) – the Middle English dialects –
innovative northern and east-northern dialects vs.
innovative northern and east-northern dialects vs.
conservative southern and south western dialects;
conservative southern and south western dialects;
4.
4.
The grammar of Middle English – major changes
The grammar of Middle English – major changes
affecting the OE phonological, morphological, and
affecting the OE phonological, morphological, and
syntactic systems with regard to the dialectal situation
syntactic systems with regard to the dialectal situation
between 1150 and 1500.
between 1150 and 1500.
5.
5.
The grammar of Early Modern English – phonology – the
The grammar of Early Modern English – phonology – the
Great Vowel Shift.
Great Vowel Shift.