Language history Language history and changeand change

By Mariela Martínez Fuentealba.By Mariela Martínez Fuentealba.

English language HistoryEnglish language History English comes from the Proto-Indo-English comes from the Proto-Indo-

European family.European family. Proto-Indo European means the original Proto-Indo European means the original

form of a language which came from form of a language which came from modern languages that were present in modern languages that were present in the Indian sub-continent and in Europe.the Indian sub-continent and in Europe.

Sanskrit is also part of the Proto-Indo-Sanskrit is also part of the Proto-Indo-European family. It is an old language European family. It is an old language from which derived modern languages from which derived modern languages such as Hindi and Bengali.such as Hindi and Bengali.

It is related with Latin and Greek.It is related with Latin and Greek.

In the text, Sanskrit is compared with In the text, Sanskrit is compared with Latin and Greek to evidence the Latin and Greek to evidence the evolution of the language and find evolution of the language and find the similarities that exist between the similarities that exist between them.them.

There are close similarities in There are close similarities in pronunciation.pronunciation.

Processes to establish Processes to establish family connectionfamily connection

Cognates:Cognates:

It is a process which establish a family It is a process which establish a family connection among different languages. connection among different languages. In these, we can find similar words with In these, we can find similar words with similar meaning that are called similar meaning that are called cognates.cognates.

Comparative reconstruction:Comparative reconstruction:

It is a procedure whose purpose is to It is a procedure whose purpose is to reconstruct the possible original form in reconstruct the possible original form in a common ancient language.a common ancient language.

It works with the great-grandmother of It works with the great-grandmother of languages.languages.

It operates on the basis of two It operates on the basis of two principles: the majority principle and the principles: the majority principle and the most development principle.most development principle.

The majority principle:The majority principle: The majority of sounds maintain the The majority of sounds maintain the

initial sound that they had. initial sound that they had. Although, they sometimes change a Although, they sometimes change a

little.little.

The most natural development The most natural development principle.principle. It is natural that original sounds change It is natural that original sounds change

a little and others change completely.a little and others change completely. Some types of sound-change are: Some types of sound-change are: final final

vowels often disappear, voiceless sounds vowels often disappear, voiceless sounds become voiced between vowels, stops become voiced between vowels, stops become fricatives and consonants become fricatives and consonants become voiceless at the end of words.become voiceless at the end of words.

The main difference between them is The main difference between them is that in the majority principle, the that in the majority principle, the sound could not change. Whereas in sound could not change. Whereas in the most natural development the most natural development principle, the sounds can completely principle, the sounds can completely change.change.

Periods of the English Periods of the English language Historylanguage History

Old English:Old English: It is from seventh century to eleventh It is from seventh century to eleventh

century.century. Angles, Saxons and Jutes tribes spoke Angles, Saxons and Jutes tribes spoke

Germanic language in British Isles.Germanic language in British Isles. It was used the word Anglo-Saxon to It was used the word Anglo-Saxon to

name them.name them. They spoke Englisc.They spoke Englisc. Romans and Vikings invaded British Isles. Romans and Vikings invaded British Isles.

Middle English:Middle English: It was from 1100 to 1500.It was from 1100 to 1500. It began with Normans arrival in 1066 It began with Normans arrival in 1066

who came from Normandy.who came from Normandy. The first King of England, William the The first King of England, William the

Conqueror, took place.Conqueror, took place. French became the principal language. French became the principal language.

It was mainly used by the aristocracy. It was mainly used by the aristocracy.

Modern English:Modern English: It began in 1500.It began in 1500. Great Vowel Shift started to be used.Great Vowel Shift started to be used. It marked the change between middle It marked the change between middle

English and Modern English English and Modern English pronunciation.pronunciation.

Phonetic changes between Phonetic changes between Old English and modern Old English and modern

EnglishEnglishOld EnglishModern English

Both Old English words have a long vowel which change to a kind of Diphthong in Modern English.

The old English word has an open vowel which changes to a close vowel.

In the old English word, there is a close vowel which changes to an open vowel.

The old English word has a long vowel whereas in the second one there is a short vowel

Syntactic changes between Syntactic changes between Old English and Modern Old English and Modern

EnglishEnglish Word order in a sentence and negative Word order in a sentence and negative

form:form: In old English, we can find the order subject-In old English, we can find the order subject-

verb-object.verb-object. Also, we can find the order verb-subject (fAlso, we can find the order verb-subject (fêêrde rde

he he traveled).he he traveled). In addition, we can find the order subject-In addition, we can find the order subject-

object-verb (hobject-verb (hê hine gaseah he saw him).ê hine gaseah he saw him). Moreover, the object could use at the Moreover, the object could use at the

beginning of the sentence (beginning of the sentence (himhim man ne sealde man ne sealde no man gave [any] to him). no man gave [any] to him).

In that sentence we can find the In that sentence we can find the negative form which is no longer negative form which is no longer grammatical. In Old English could be grammatical. In Old English could be used double-negative, too.used double-negative, too.

Inflectional affixes:Inflectional affixes: Old English used more affixes.Old English used more affixes. Nouns, adjectives, articles and Nouns, adjectives, articles and

pronouns was characterized by pronouns was characterized by inflectional forms.inflectional forms.

Lexical differences between Lexical differences between Old English and Modern Old English and Modern

EnglishEnglish Borrowed words in Old English:Borrowed words in Old English:

They came principally form Greek and They came principally form Greek and Latin.Latin.

But those words have stopped to be used. But those words have stopped to be used. For example “were” instead of “man”.For example “were” instead of “man”.

Broadening:Broadening: It is the change of a word, with a specific It is the change of a word, with a specific

meaning, to a word with a general meaning, to a word with a general meaning. Example: “holy day”, a religious meaning. Example: “holy day”, a religious feast changed to “holiday”, a general feast changed to “holiday”, a general break.break.

Narrowing:Narrowing:

To apply Old English words in Modern To apply Old English words in Modern English.English.

Sometimes there are some variations in Sometimes there are some variations in spelling and meaning. spelling and meaning.

For instance, the word “mete” was used For instance, the word “mete” was used for mentioning any kind of food in old for mentioning any kind of food in old English but in modern English, the word English but in modern English, the word “meat” is only used to refer to specific “meat” is only used to refer to specific type of food.type of food.

Ways to study a Ways to study a languagelanguage

Diachronically:Diachronically:

It studies the changes of a language It studies the changes of a language through time with a historical perspective.through time with a historical perspective.

SynchronicallySynchronically

It studies a language in different places It studies a language in different places and among different groups in a certain and among different groups in a certain period.period.