2
Old English (5th to 11th c.)
West Germanic Language influenced by Norse and Latin (the lingua franca of Europe)
Beowulf
(c. 1000)
blend of West Saxon & Anglian dialects
– Can’t nobody do nothing about it. – Wasn’t nothing wrong with it.
• Existential it (instead of SAmE there)
– It ain’t no heaven for you to go to. – Doesn’t nobody know that it’s a god.
Phonetics/phonology 3.2.2
• • • • • Rhoticity Retroflex intervocalic Received Pronunciation (RP) General American (GA)
Southern US
• Known as the “Southern Drawl” • Non-rhotic among upper-class whites and blacks • Some reduction of intervocalic R
–Cayolina for Carolina
• Reduction of non-stressed syllables
–Probly [pɹa:blɪ] , prezdent [pɹɛ:zdɪnt],
• Diphthongal offglides
–glayad for glad
Former US President Jimmy Carter Plains, Georgia
1362
Pleading in English Act
English was reestablished as the official language of the common-law courts At this time, there were about 2.5 million speakers of English
• Alternate question inversion
– I ax Mary where did she go. – I want to know what did he do.
The Outer Circle
• The “outer circle” primarily refers to former colonies of Britain (India, Pakistan, and many African nations). • However, some Pacific Island nations (Philippines, Guam, Samoa, Marianas) were colonized by the United States.
– He always be talkin. – She usually be around.
• Use of Completive Aspect
– I done talked. (finished action in the past)
AAVE
• Negative indefinite fronting
Why are some countries that were part of the British Empire not “Inner Circle”?
Who Owns English?
• 75 countries have special or official status for the English language • 375 million first-language speakers • 375 million second-language speakers • 750 million foreign-language speakers • More conversations happen daily between non-native speakers of English than between native speakers
AAVE
• No –s in 3rd person singular (he go, she like) • Zero copula in present tense (She real nice. He big. They out there. He not American.) Note: the copula must appear when exposed (I know what it is. Is she?) • Be as finite verb with habitual aspect
French influence
• Words related to church, the law, sophisticated “high culture” (judge, cordial) • French words are used for the name of the meat of animals (veal from calves, pork from pigs, mutton from sheep, venison from deer)(even nowadays, the English say crème Anglaise, which is French for English cream!)
Extent of the British Empire
Expanding Circle:
People need English to communicate with speakers OUTSIDE the country – European countries, Asian countries
African American Vernacular English
• Creole of pidgin developed from earlier English forms, and West African Languages • Probably influenced the language spoken in the Southern United States • Spread to urban areas in the North following the end of slavery • Now often associated with Detroit and the South Bronx in NYC
Language in Malaysia
• English was replaced by Bahasa Malaysia as the official language in 1969 to suppress the more successful Chinese and Indian minorities who spoke English, and advantage the majority Malay population. • English is now taught as a compulsory subject in primary and secondary school, and is used in business and most private schools and universities
Frisian & English
"Rye bread, butter and green cheese is good English and good Fries.” "Brea, bûter en griene tsiis is goed Ingelsk en goed Frysk.."
(This is not typical. Most words are quite different.)
Outer Circle:
People need English for education, law, politics, business INSIDE the country – India, Philippines, Anglo Africa, Singapore
Inner Circle:
Most people speak English as a first languageUSA, UK, Canada, Australia, NZ, Caribbean
The Danelaw
(late 8th c.)
Scandinavian Influence on English
• Dropping of many inflectional endings • The use of velar plosives instead of fricatives in the words sky, bask, whisk, egg • Borrowing of Old Norse pronouns they, their, them • Scandinavian place names Grimuest
Effects of the Norman Conquest
• English language was no longer used in government, courts, or in the church • A variety of Old French became the language of the ruling class • French nobles took control of all the land • HOWEVER, English survived among the lower classes