4. Knowledge of French Among the Middle Class
• We have mentioned that by the end of the twelfth century the knowledge of English was not unusual among members of the highest class, it seems equally clear that the knowledge of French was often found somewhat further down in the social scale----- the Middle Class-----who were brought into association with the governing class
• While English was reduced English as a tongue used only by common illiterate people and not fit for writing.
2.2 Fusion of the French and English Over Time
Evidence: William the Conqueror buried in Normandy, he divided his possessions at his death, giving Normandy to his eldest son, and England to his second son. Except for Henry I, no English king till Edward IV (1461-1483) sought a wife in England.
2.2.1 Knowledge of English Among the Upper Class
Conclusion • From these instances, we can know that a knowledge of English was not uncommon, though not universal among the Upper Class at the end of the twelfth century.
French and English During Norman Conquest
1.The History Background
1.1 The Normans 1.2 The Norman Conquest
2. Language Contact During Norman Conquest
2.1 The Domination of French in England 2.2 Fusion of the French and English Over Time
2.2.1 Knowledge of English Among the Upper Class
• French was the language of the court and the upper class while English was the language of common people.
4. Why didn’t French Replace English 5. Conclusion
1. History Background
1.1 The Normans
• The Normans were descended from Norse Viking(北欧海盗).
• Early 10th Century，they came and settled in northern France, which was called Normandy. • They themselves came to be called the Normans, meaning Northman. They adopted the French language and French civilization.
• William, the Duke of Normany ----- winner
The Norman Conquest
William was made king, crowned in westinster Abbey on Christmas Day, 1066.
2. Language Contact During Norman Conquest
2.1 The Domination of French in England
Elite Replacement： Eliminating the old English aristocracy Removing natives from high governmental and ecclesiastical office
• It is unreasonable to expect a conquered people to feel no resentment or the Norman never to be haughty or overbearing. • In a long period of time after the conquest, English and French were languages of two distinct ethnic groups, the two languages existed side by side without mingling. • Then, slowly they began to permeate each other.
2.2.1 Knowledge of English Among the Upper Class
Evidence
• English survived for a considerable time in some monasteries, at least until 1154. • Among churchmen the ability to speak English was fairly common. For example, the bishop of London, a man of Norman descent, was fluent in English, in addition to French and Latin.
• For almost three hundred years French was the official language of administration: it was the language of king's court, the law courts, the church, the army and etc. • The intellectual life, literature and education were in the hands of French-speaking people. • French, alongside Latin, was the language of writing.
• So it may be likely that many of the upper class would know some English when they ruled the country of which greater part of the population speak English.
2.2.1 Knowledge of English Among the Upper Class
Evidence
• It is reasonable to assume that a French soldier settled on a manor with a few hundred English peasants would soon learn the language of the people among whom his lot was cast.
4. Knowledge of Frencபைடு நூலகம் Among the Middle
Class
Evidence • Among the knightly class French seems to have been cultivated even when the mother tongue was English. In the reign of Henry II a knight in England got a man from Normandy to teach his son French. An ability to speak French was expected among this class.
• Frist, as rulers, they were sufficiently predominant to continue to use their own language. • second, the royal family were continentally minded. They felt more closely attached to their hometown than to England.
1.2 The Norman Conquest
• Edward the Confessor (1042—1066) −the English King
– died in 1066 without an heir – three claimants to the throne
• Harold（哈罗德） —the king's wife's brother. • William — Duke of Normandy, Edward's cousin • Harald （哈拉尔德）— King of Norway