CHAPTER 5 LANGUAGE CHAPTER 5 LANGUAGE Language A

CHAPTER 5 LANGUAGE

CHAPTER 5: LANGUAGE Language: A system of communication through speech Literary Tradition: a system of written communication § Common in many languages § Hundreds lack literary traditions Official Language: used by government ( laws, road signs, money, etc) § Each countries designates at least one § Some have multiple § Not all citizens speak official language § Common in colonized countries

Origin and Diffusion of English § Spoken by one-half billion people (2 nd most spoken in world) § Speakers distributed around the world § Official language in 50 countries, more than any other language § 2 billion people live in a country where English is official language

ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRIES Fig. 5 -1: English is the official language in 42 countries, including some in which it is not the most widely spoken language. It is also used and understood in many others.

THE HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN 10 MINUTES The History of the English Language

ENGLISH COLONIES England migrated with their language during colonization English is official language in most former British colonies 17 t h Century: English diffused to North America Principal language of North America by 18 t h century British Colonization § 17 th Century: Ireland § 18 th Century: South Asia, South Pacific § 19 th Century: southern Africa United States § 20 th Century: Philippines

ORIGINS OF ENGLISH IN ENGLAND Celts, 2000 BC: spoke Celtic German Invasion, 450 AD Angles: southern Denmark Jutes: northern Denmark Saxons: northwestern Germany “Anglo Saxons”

INVASIONS OF ENGLAND 5 TH – 11 TH CENTURIES Fig. 5 -2: The groups that brought what became English to England included Jutes, Angles, Saxons, and Vikings. The Normans later brought French vocabulary to English.

ORIGINS OF ENGLISH IN ENGLAND GERMAN INVASION England: “Angle’s Land” corner (angle) of Germany Modern English evolved from language spoken by Angles, Saxons, and Jutes Isolation from other Germanic groups allowed languages to evolve independently Other groups later invaded England, adding to the evolution of the English language, ex: Vikings

NORMAN INVASION 1066 Normans from Normandy, France invaded French became official language for 300 years Royal family, nobles, judges, clergy spoke French Majority of people did NOT speak French Parliament changed official language back to English in 1362 French and English languages merged to create a new language Germanic Sky Horse man woman French Celestial Equestrian Masculine feminine

DIALECTS OF ENGLISH Dialect: regional variation of a language § Vocab, spelling, pronunciation Speakers of one dialect can understand another When speakers migrate, dialects may develop § English migration to North America and through colonization Dialects of English: U. S. , India, Pakistan, Australia, etc § Dialects can also be found within individual countries § US & England: southern & northern dialects

DIALECTS OF ENGLISH One dialect is usually recognized as the “standard language” Most acceptable for gov’t, business, education and mass communication British Received Pronunciation (BRP) § Recognized as standard for English-speaking world § Upper-class Britons living in London area § Used by politicians, broadcasters, and actors

DIALECTS IN ENGLAND Wide variety of dialects Three invading groups, distinct regional dialects Later invasion by the French 5 distinct regional dialects London’s emerged as the standard language for writing & speech § Used by upper-class residents § Home to Cambridge & Oxford Diffusion encouraged by printing press, 1476 § Grammar books & dictionaries in 18 th century Rules for “English” language based off London’s dialect Dialects today: Northern, Midland Southern

OLD AND MIDDLE ENGLISH DIALECTS Fig. 5 -3: The main dialect regions of Old English before the Norman invasion persisted to some extent in the Middle English dialects through the 1400 s.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BRITISH AND AMERICAN ENGLISH English language brought to America by British colonists, 17 th Century “ 17 th Century English” became the norm in colonial America Later immigrants from other countries adopted English to be the language of Colonial America

DIFFERENCES IN VOCABULARY AND SPELLING Isolation: Atlantic Ocean 18 th and 19 th Centuries: English in the US & English in England evolved independently Few residents travelled between the countries Vocabulary § American settlers discovered new objects: needed new names § Landscape, animals (chipmunk), Native American names (canoe) § New inventions: elevator vs lift, flashlight vs torch

DIFFERENCES IN VOCABULARY AND SPELLING Spelling Noah Webster § creator of 1 st American dictionary/grammar books § Determined to develop a unique American dialect of English § “Spelling & grammar reforms would help establish a national language, reduce cultural dependence on England inspire national pride” § Honor vs honour, color vs colour, defense vs defence

DIFFERENCES IN PRONUNCIATION Geographic Concepts: Isolation Pronunciation has changed more in England than in the US “A” and “R” pronounced in US the same way they used to be pronounced in Britain during 17 th Century Standard dialect in Britain emerged AFTER colonization of America, 18 th Century Colonists left England before “London English” became the standard or “proper” English

DIALECTS IN THE UNITED STATES Major differences in US dialects is from differences in dialects of original settlers American Colonies New England: settlers from England: Puritans from East Anglia in SE England South. Eastern: ½ of settlers from SE England, diverse group of social backgrounds: prisoners, religious & political refugees Amy Walker’s Dialects Video Clip