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.