History of
English
This section
covers part of what Historical Linguistics mentioned previously in the
introduction to this course presents: The history of the English language with
a focus clearly on the latter. In other words, this branch of linguistics
studies language and its history from earlier stages of language development
and its change until we have it today. The
history of English divides into four distinct periods: Old, Middle, Early Modern and Modern English.
Before
English developed completely, there was a meaningful background, which gave
part of its structure. According to Krabbe (2009),
Old English covers a period from the second half of the first millennium
to roughly around 1100, ending shortly after the Norman Conquest. It was
a period, in which English was still a dominant synthetic language, and
it is certainly different from any English spoken since. The language of this
period received influence by Latin language
contact called Old Norse (the language of Scandinavian seafarers and
settlers). As in later stages, English lexicon at this stage of its development
was (amongst other features) characterized by frequent borrowings from contact languages, i.e. by taking over
words from them. (Krabbe, 2009, p.50).
At the beginning, English language had strong
influence by other languages contact from which we still can device some words
root borrowed from them.
II. Middle English
2.1 The transition from ancient English to the Middle
Middle English started with the change in typology
of the language around the Norman Conquest. Krabbe (2009), said that this
process took more time than expected. At this point, became a more analytic
language. Noticing a renewed and strong influence of Latin, as various
predecessors of modern French like Norman dialect make visible. Consequently, an
ongoing expansion of the lexicon traces due to the influence of the new ruling
classes. Around (1400), the so-called Great Vowel Shift (GVS) arises and did
not end possibly even at the end of Early Modern English (c. 1800). The GVS was
as a process in which all long vowels raise to higher and closer positions,
with “position” referring to articulation.
III. Modern
English
Before 1400 with the standardization of the English
language, widely finished around 1800. Important stages in this process are the
medieval Chancery Lane, an administrative center of a certain influence in
official language use, the printing press, though with de-standardizing effects
in the beginning, the first dictionaries and grammars and finally the
Elementary Educational Act, though slightly after the period given above, i.e.
in 1870. This is already deep inside what we
call the Early Modern English period, the start around 1500, which is a time of
drastic change in Europe for the reformation and renaissance, and after e.g.
the discovery of America. It was a continued and refreshed influence of Romance
and Classic languages on its lexicon, due to e.g. the renaissance, and by the
continuation of both the GVS and the process of standardization. In addition,
the development towards an increasingly analytic language type continues.
Supposedly, Modern English period begins after 1750. However,
some scholars suggest earlier or later dates, a fact that is again due to all
periodization being a mere means of structuring a long history and any date
being more or less arbitrary and disputable. Still, most drastic change
phenomena are widely finished by this time and English has taken a shape that
makes it look much like the English we know today. However, the journey of
English continues as you read, as change is a present facet of language.
