Background of
the English Language
Old English (500-1100)
-
Anglo-Saxon developed into English & also developed
into German. Hence English is a Germanic language.
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Had full inflection system. (an inflection shows
how a word funtions in a sentence by its form).
Middle English (1100-1500)
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Inflections weakening.
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Can actually read some of it without very much
training.
Modern (1500-present)
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No inflections. (With a few exceptions, such as
the personal pronoun - I, me, mine, we, us, ours.)
-
Modern syntax.
Background Sources for British Culture, Literature
& Language:
Native tribes:
Descendants from original Britons |
Invaders: |
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Scotch
-
Irish
-
Welch
-
Cornish
|
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Romans
-
Angles
-
Saxons
-
Jutes
-
Vikings
-
Normans
|
Celtic:
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Descendants of original Britons
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Scotch
-
Irish
-
Welch
-
Cornish
-
Language was Cymraeg.
-
Great dux bellorum (leader of wars) Artorius
resisted the Germans (Arthur).
Classic (Greco-Roman):
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Caesar invaded with Roman legions in 55
B.C.
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100 years later, Roman Emperor Claudius attacked
Celts & established Roman rule.
-
400 years of relative order & stability followed.
-
Latin & Greek literature imp. then brought
back later
Germanic:
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Angles, Saxons, & Jutes came in 5th
Century. A.D. (started in A.D. 449).
-
A.D. 410
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Rome had been sacked.
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Rome withdrew from Britain, beginning the Medieval
Period.
-
Middle Ages or Dark Ages are other
terms for the era.
-
Era ended 1000 years later in the 1400's-1500's.
5th century
-
Rome left
-
Germanic tribes (Angels, Saxons, Jutes) took over.
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Settled in East. Britain
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Took over England by 650
-
Anglo-Saxon (Old English) forms the basis of English.
The, is you, mann, hus, sheep, ox, earth, plough, swine, dog, glee, etc.
The Vikings: (793-1050)
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These tribes were also Germanic.
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The invasion began as plundering, ended in conquest
& settlement.
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878 King Alfred beat back the Vikings, preserving
English.
The Norman Conquest 1066.
-
Christmas Day
-
William the Conquerer was coronated
-
Religion, law, science, & literature were now
in French & Latin, not English, for 200 years.
-
French overlords had to learn English to talk to
their subjects.
100 Years War (1337-1454)
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Led to using English again.
-
1356-1400 English appeared as official language
in various places.
Anglo-Saxon
society was quite different from the culture that developed in the high
Middle Ages reflected in Chaucer. Following the Roman exit from Britain,
there was a breakdown of the rule of law. It was a very tribal form of
society in which much superstition abounded. They were pagans. Pagan traditions
were fused with Christian ones. For instance, the spring festival
of Eostre became Easter. Christian concepts of fortune & providence
were similar to the Anglo Saxon concept of wyrd, or fate: the control
of a person's destiny beyond the reach of personal exertion. Christianity
brought intellectual advancement. Schools grew up as monestaries spread;
Latin taught. Led Anglo Saxons to produce & write down their own literature.
Anglo
Saxon (Old English) the first important vernacular written literature of
Western Europe. (Vernacularlanguages
were the local language, as opposed to the Latin that was common across
the area covered by the western Roman Empire. )
Two classes recognized by Anglo-Saxon society:
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Earls
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ruling class based on kinship to the founder of
a tribe.
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Churls
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bondsmen
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subject classes (slaves)
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A few got higher status becuase they or their ancestor
had been freed for service to the king.
King:
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Brave commander
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Revered leader in wartime
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Wise judge
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Generous gift-giver in peacetime.
The tribal social system:
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Based on loyalty & indebtedness
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Crimes against one's own kin were unforgivable.
597 A.D.:
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Augustine:
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Converted King Ethelbert
of Kent.
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Augustine became 1st archbishop of Canterbury.
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Brought back Latin.
Pagan traditions were fused with Christian ones. For instance, the
spring festival of Eostre
became Easter.
Christian concepts of fortune & providence were similar to the A.S.
concept of wyrd, or fate:
the control of a person's destiny beyond the reach of personal exertion.
Christianity brought intellectual advancement. Schools grew up as monestaries
spread; Latin
taught. Led A.S. to produce & write down their own lit. Anglo
Saxon (Old English) was the first
important vernacular written literature of W. Europe. (Vernacular
languages were the local
language, as opposed to the Latin that was common across the area covered
by the western Roman
Empire. )
Bede:
-
8th century historian & churchman
-
Wrote the Ecclesiastical History of the English
Nation.
870:
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Viking Danes began attacking
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Alfred the Great
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Emerged as most imp. Anglo Saxon king.
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Had history recorded yearly in the Anglo-Saxon
Chronicle.
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Encouraged translation of books.
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Ceded north & central portions of England to
the Viking Danes to save Britain.
1014: Danes conquered Britain
1042: Anglo Saxons returned to power
1066:
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The Normans/Frenchmen invaded under
William the Conqueror.
-
William imposed Norman law, government and
language on Anglo-Saxons.
-
End of the Anglo-Saxon
Era.
1066. The Normans/Frenchmen invaded.
William imposed Norman law, government and
language on Anglo-Saxons.
The foundation of Norman
civilization (Feudal System) which was based upon the holding of land.
King owned all the land. He granted areas to his lords who promised him
their services. Lords gave portions to the knights who pledged to assist
them in battle. Serfs were the lowest on the social scale. They paid goods
and services to the lord in return for land they farmed.
Social Scale:
-
King
-
Lords
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Nobles - Knights
-
Serfs – Peasants & Clergy