Unit 5 How does language change over time

Unit 5: How does language change over time? Objectives: Understand the main factors that lead languages to change and develop • Understand the main periods of the English language • Refresh your knowledge of morphemes and phonemes •

Activity 1 Watch the video and answer the questions on the worksheet www. youtube. com/watch? v=H 3 r 9 b. Ok. YW 9 s 1

What is language change? • Language change is the ability of languages to modify, adjust and change over time • What non-linguistic factors cause language change? Demographics (movement of people) ○ Social changes (war, technology) ○ The structure of the English language is such that it is capable of absorbing new words into its vocabulary (or lexicon) or making up new ones • 2

Guides to language 3 • Dictionaries are concerned with the meanings of individual words and their pronunciation. Lexicographers prefer to call words lexis from the Greek, meaning the total word stock of a language • Grammars are concerned with the ways in which words combine into clauses. The concept of grammar occurs once speech is written down. Languages that do not have a written equivalent have no concept of the term grammar. • The invention of sound recording has enabled us to transcribe speech and to study the structure of spoken English grammar

Historical changes The historical development of English is usually divided into three major parts: Old English, Middle English and Modern English • Old English is considered to last from the 5 th century to the end of the 11 th century • Middle English is from the end of the 11 th century to the 17 th century • Modern English is from the 17 th century to the present 4

The Lord’s prayer in different versions of English Old English Modern English Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum; Si þin nama gehalgod to becume þin rice gewurþe ðin willa on eorðan swa on heofonum urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us todæg and forgyf us ure gyltas swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge ac alys us of yfele soþlice Our Father, which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, As it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, As we forgive them that trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, But deliver us from evil. Amen. Middle English Oure fadir þat art in heuenes, halewid be þi name; þi kyngdoom come to; be thi wille don, in erþe as in heuene. Ȝyue to vs þis dai oure breed ouer oþer substaunse, and forȝyue to vs oure dettis, as we forȝyuen to oure dettouris; and lede vs not in to temptacioun, but delyuere vs fro yuel. Amen. 5

Activity 2 6 • Read through the information sheet on the development of English • Write a 200 -word summary of the key points, using your own words