History of EnglishHistory of English

15th century 15th century

by Alena Hranická and Mária Rentková by Alena Hranická and Mária Rentková

Historical backgroundHistorical background

1348 - Black Death – an epidemic of 1348 - Black Death – an epidemic of bubonic plague killed as much as a third bubonic plague killed as much as a third to half the population to half the population

the reign of Henry V. (1413 – 1422) – the reign of Henry V. (1413 – 1422) – great victory over the French at great victory over the French at Agincourt; died of dysentery leaving a lot Agincourt; died of dysentery leaving a lot of unfulfilled plansof unfulfilled plans

the reign of Henry VI. (1422 – 1461) the reign of Henry VI. (1422 – 1461)

1453 - Hundred Years' War was lost in 1453 - Hundred Years' War was lost in August August

1455 - civil war began; the conflicts are 1455 - civil war began; the conflicts are known as the Wars of the Roses (1455–known as the Wars of the Roses (1455–1485) 1485)

Henry's cousin Edward IV. (1461 – 1470) Henry's cousin Edward IV. (1461 – 1470) defeated the Lancastrians at the Battle of defeated the Lancastrians at the Battle of Mortimer's CrossMortimer's Cross

In the summer of 1485, Henry Tudor, the In the summer of 1485, Henry Tudor, the last Lancastrian male, landed in England last Lancastrian male, landed in England from his exile in France. He became king from his exile in France. He became king as Henry VII. as Henry VII.

the end of the Middle Ages in England the end of the Middle Ages in England Henry VII's foreign policy was a peaceful Henry VII's foreign policy was a peaceful

one. He had formed an alliance with Spain one. He had formed an alliance with Spain and the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I.and the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian I.

the French agreed to recognize him as king the French agreed to recognize him as king Henry also reached an understanding with Henry also reached an understanding with

Scotland Scotland

Influence on the Influence on the language language

We would like to devote to three parts of We would like to devote to three parts of the language: - lexical levelthe language: - lexical level

- grammatical level- grammatical level

- pronunciation- pronunciation

Lexical level Lexical level The Graeco-Latin influence in the age of New Learning

Greek and Latin expressions: they concern theology, Greek and Latin expressions: they concern theology, but also various branches of knowledge (words like but also various branches of knowledge (words like allegory, custody, genius, history, include, individual, allegory, custody, genius, history, include, individual, nervous, picture, quiet, rational, scripture, summary, nervous, picture, quiet, rational, scripture, summary, temporal, tract, ulcertemporal, tract, ulcer..)..)

terminology of physics, chemistry, biology: terminology of physics, chemistry, biology: acid, acid, hydrogen, nitrogen, atom, nucleus, proton, radium, hydrogen, nitrogen, atom, nucleus, proton, radium, vertebrates, mammals, fungi, bacteria vertebrates, mammals, fungi, bacteria - used only by a - used only by a relativelly small group of experts, only very specialized relativelly small group of experts, only very specialized functions, only a peripheral component part of the functions, only a peripheral component part of the lexical system of ModE lexical system of ModE

noticable are instances in which only the noticable are instances in which only the written form of a word was brought closer written form of a word was brought closer to Latin, while the spoken form remained to Latin, while the spoken form remained unchanged, e.g. The ModE n. unchanged, e.g. The ModE n. debt- one - one usually says that it contains the ´mute b´- a usually says that it contains the ´mute b´- a purely graphical affair, any spoken purely graphical affair, any spoken equivalent. The spoken form of the words equivalent. The spoken form of the words used to be ´´used to be ´´detdet´´, spelled ´´dette´´ and the ´´, spelled ´´dette´´ and the letter -b- was inserted into it to make it look letter -b- was inserted into it to make it look closer to Lat. ´´closer to Lat. ´´debitumdebitum´´´´

some of the Graeco-Latin words stylistically differ some of the Graeco-Latin words stylistically differ not only from domestic words but also from loans not only from domestic words but also from loans take over from Norman and French; the Graeco-take over from Norman and French; the Graeco-Latin terms are characterized by an even higher Latin terms are characterized by an even higher degree of depersonalization and bookishness degree of depersonalization and bookishness than their Norman and French opposite number than their Norman and French opposite number

3 stylistic levels:1.native=Germanic, 2.Norman or 3 stylistic levels:1.native=Germanic, 2.Norman or French, 3.Graeco-Latin- the degree of abstraction French, 3.Graeco-Latin- the degree of abstraction increases- examples: increases- examples: rise-mount-ascend, ask-rise-mount-ascend, ask-question-interrogatequestion-interrogate

Grammatical levelGrammatical level

influence not so obviousinfluence not so obvious the generalization of single negation in negative the generalization of single negation in negative

sentences e.g. sentences e.g. Nobody knew anythingNobody knew anything. in the . in the MidE it was still MidE it was still Nobody knew nothing.Nobody knew nothing.

in the period of the New Learning one was in the period of the New Learning one was inclined to avoid the dropping of the accusative inclined to avoid the dropping of the accusative form of relative pronoun in the dependent clauseform of relative pronoun in the dependent clause (common in ModE - (common in ModE - The man I speak of)The man I speak of)

PronunciationPronunciation

The Great Vowel ShifThe Great Vowel Shiftt a major change in the pronunciation of the a major change in the pronunciation of the

English language that took place in the English language that took place in the south of England between 1450 and 1750south of England between 1450 and 1750

was first studied by Otto Jespersen was first studied by Otto Jespersen (1860–1943), a Danish linguist and (1860–1943), a Danish linguist and Anglicist, who coined the termAnglicist, who coined the term

EFFECT:EFFECT: the long vowels form the main difference the long vowels form the main difference

between the pronunciation of Middle between the pronunciation of Middle English and Modern English English and Modern English

during the Great Vowel Shift, the two during the Great Vowel Shift, the two highest long vowels became diphthongs, highest long vowels became diphthongs, and the other five underwent an increase and the other five underwent an increase in tongue height with one of them coming in tongue height with one of them coming to the front to the front

The principal changes: table The principal changes: table

/a:/ → /eɪ/ (as in m/a:/ → /eɪ/ (as in maake)ke) /ɛ:/ → /eɪ/ or /i:/ (as in br/ɛ:/ → /eɪ/ or /i:/ (as in breakeak or or beabeak)k) /e:/ → /i:/ (as in f/e:/ → /i:/ (as in feeeet)t) /i:/ → /aɪ/ (as in m/i:/ → /aɪ/ (as in miice)ce) /ɔ:/ → /oʊ/ (as in b/ɔ:/ → /oʊ/ (as in boaoat)t) /o:/ → /u:/ (as in b/o:/ → /u:/ (as in boooot)t) /u:/ → /aʊ/ (as in m/u:/ → /aʊ/ (as in mououse)se)

Scandinavian loanwords Scandinavian loanwords in the 15th century in the 15th century

during that period a considerable number of during that period a considerable number of words of Scandinavian origin went out of usewords of Scandinavian origin went out of use

at the same time a high proportion of words of at the same time a high proportion of words of the same origin were recorded for the first time the same origin were recorded for the first time and survived exclusively in English dialects in and survived exclusively in English dialects in the 19th and the 20th centuriesthe 19th and the 20th centuries

special interest will be attached to the rivalry special interest will be attached to the rivalry between the obsolete words and their between the obsolete words and their synonyms, especially those of French and synonyms, especially those of French and native origin. native origin.

Obsolete loanwordsObsolete loanwords

out of over 1500 Scandinavian loanwords found in the out of over 1500 Scandinavian loanwords found in the MED and the OED, 258 became obsolete in the 15th MED and the OED, 258 became obsolete in the 15th centurycentury

a large diversity of meanings a large diversity of meanings nouns (more than 100), verbs (81), adjectives (46), nouns (more than 100), verbs (81), adjectives (46),

adverbs (25), conjunctions (2) and prepositions (2) adverbs (25), conjunctions (2) and prepositions (2) the major reason for the disappearance of loans seems the major reason for the disappearance of loans seems

to be competition with both French and native to be competition with both French and native synonyms. The largest group of obsolete words had an synonyms. The largest group of obsolete words had an equivalent of French origin.equivalent of French origin.

Thank you for your attention

Alena a Mária