Why Dont We Speak Viking? A Brief History of the English Language.

Why Don’t We Why Don’t We Speak Viking?Speak Viking?

A Brief History of the A Brief History of the English Language.English Language.

A question to start?A question to start?

If you could go back in time just 100 If you could go back in time just 100 years, what would the people of years, what would the people of Arlington say about the way you Arlington say about the way you talk?talk?

What would explain the differences What would explain the differences between your speech and theirs? between your speech and theirs?

How Did English How Did English Happen?Happen?

The language we speak has been growing The language we speak has been growing for 1500 years. We’ve borrowed (and for 1500 years. We’ve borrowed (and continue to borrow) pieces from continue to borrow) pieces from GermanGerman, , LatinLatin, , FrenchFrench, , SpanishSpanish, , GreekGreek, , HebrewHebrew, , ArabicArabic, , ItalianItalian, , American Indian American Indian dialectsdialects, , African dialectsAfrican dialects, , DutchDutch, , ScandinavianScandinavian, , CelticCeltic, and others. , and others.

Study of the English language is an Study of the English language is an exercise in multiculturalism and world exercise in multiculturalism and world travel. travel.

Old EnglishOld English Going back in time, the residents Going back in time, the residents

of England didn’t interact much of England didn’t interact much with the outside world until . . . with the outside world until . . .

. . . roughly 450 AD when the . . . roughly 450 AD when the Angles, Saxons, and Jutes invade Angles, Saxons, and Jutes invade the British Isles.the British Isles.

The resulting language borrows The resulting language borrows heavily from these Scandinavian heavily from these Scandinavian “guests”. “guests”.

Remember:Remember: William Shakespeare, the Bible, and William Shakespeare, the Bible, and

early Americans are NOT Old English.early Americans are NOT Old English.

The Old English era continues until The Old English era continues until about 1066 AD. about 1066 AD.

An example . . .An example . . .

BeowulfBeowulfWhat follows is a line-by-line What follows is a line-by-line

translationtranslation                             1Hwæt. We Gardena in geardagum,1Hwæt. We Gardena in geardagum,                       LO, praise of the prowess of people-kingsLO, praise of the prowess of people-kings                             2þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon,2þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon,                       of spear-armed Danes, in days long sped,of spear-armed Danes, in days long sped,                             3hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon.3hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon.                       we have heard, and what honor the athelings won!we have heard, and what honor the athelings won!                             4Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena/ þreatum,4Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena/ þreatum,                       Oft Scyld the Scefing from squadroned foes,Oft Scyld the Scefing from squadroned foes,                             5monegum mægþum, meodosetla ofteah,5monegum mægþum, meodosetla ofteah,                       from many a tribe, the mead-bench tore,from many a tribe, the mead-bench tore,                             6egsode eorlas. Syððan ærest wearð/6egsode eorlas. Syððan ærest wearð/                       awing the earls. Since erst he layawing the earls. Since erst he lay                             7feasceaft funden, he þæs frofre gebad,7feasceaft funden, he þæs frofre gebad,                       friendless, a foundling, fate repaid him:friendless, a foundling, fate repaid him:                             8weox under wolcnum, weorðmyndum þah,8weox under wolcnum, weorðmyndum þah,                       for he waxed under welkin, in wealth he throve,for he waxed under welkin, in wealth he throve,                             9oðþæt him æghwylc þara ymbsittendra9oðþæt him æghwylc þara ymbsittendra                       till before him the folk, both far and near,till before him the folk, both far and near,                         10ofer hronrade hyran scolde,10ofer hronrade hyran scolde,                         who house by the whale-path, heard his mandate,who house by the whale-path, heard his mandate,

Beowulf if the most famous of all works from Old English. It dates from roughly the year 800.

This translation comes from:

http://rpo.library.utoronto.ca/poem/19.html

Language CasseroleLanguage Casserole

The language of the native speakers The language of the native speakers gets mixed up with the language of gets mixed up with the language of the conquering peoples.the conquering peoples.

In about the year 700, when the In about the year 700, when the native Britons had been (mostly) native Britons had been (mostly) converted to Christianity, they converted to Christianity, they began to write. began to write.

1066: Remember The 1066: Remember The DateDate

The period from 450-1066 is The period from 450-1066 is referred to as the referred to as the Old EnglishOld English period (and neither Shakespeare period (and neither Shakespeare nor George Washington was around nor George Washington was around then).then).

In 1066, the Norman Invasion In 1066, the Norman Invasion happens. Normans (aka, people happens. Normans (aka, people from the area now know as France) from the area now know as France) invade and conquer Britain. Now invade and conquer Britain. Now there’s a new language casserole there’s a new language casserole being created. being created.

The Best of Middle The Best of Middle EnglishEnglish

From From The Canterbury TalesThe Canterbury Tales: : General PrologueGeneral Prologue

Here bygynneth the Book of the Tales of Here bygynneth the Book of the Tales of CaunterburyCaunterbury

            Whan that Aprill, with his Whan that Aprill, with his shouresshoures sootesooteThe The droghtedroghte of March hath perced to the rooteAnd bathed every of March hath perced to the rooteAnd bathed every veyneveyne in in swichswich licour,Of which vertu engendred is the licour,Of which vertu engendred is the flour;5Whan flour;5Whan ZephirusZephirus eekeek with his sweete with his sweete breethInspired hath in every holt and heethThe tendre breethInspired hath in every holt and heethThe tendre croppescroppes, and the yonge , and the yonge sonnesonneHath in the Ram his halfe Hath in the Ram his halfe cours yronne,And cours yronne,And smalesmale fowelesfoweles maken maken melodye,10That slepen al the nyght with open eye-(So melodye,10That slepen al the nyght with open eye-(So prikethpriketh hemhem Nature in hir Nature in hir coragescorages);Thanne longen folk );Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimagesAnd to goon on pilgrimagesAnd palmerespalmeres for to seken for to seken straungestraunge strondesstrondesTo ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry To ferne halwes, kowthe in sondry londes;15And specially from every shires endeOf londes;15And specially from every shires endeOf Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende,The hooly blisful Engelond, to Caunterbury they wende,The hooly blisful martir for to sekeThat hem hath holpen, whan that martir for to sekeThat hem hath holpen, whan that they were seeke.they were seeke.

This dates from about the year 1300.

This translation comes from:

http://www.librarius.com/cantales.htm

More on Middle EnglishMore on Middle English

Middle English is much more Middle English is much more recognizable as the English we recognizable as the English we speak today. You can decipher most speak today. You can decipher most of it with some head scratching and of it with some head scratching and a big dictionary.a big dictionary.

The Middle English period goes from The Middle English period goes from 1066 to about 1485. 1066 to about 1485.

(Early) Modern English(Early) Modern English

1485 (give or take a few dozen 1485 (give or take a few dozen years) begins the Modern era of years) begins the Modern era of English. History buffs will note that English. History buffs will note that this corresponds to the beginning of this corresponds to the beginning of the Renaissance. the Renaissance.

What does Early Modern What does Early Modern English look like?English look like?

Ever hear of a little guy named Ever hear of a little guy named William Shakespeare? William Shakespeare?

How about the King James Bible?How about the King James Bible?

They may sound a bit funny to our They may sound a bit funny to our ears, but they are modern.ears, but they are modern.

Early ModernEarly Modern

From From ShakespearShakespeare’s First e’s First Folio Folio (1623).(1623).

This picture from: This picture from: http://special.lihttp://special.lib.gla.ac.uk/exhib.gla.ac.uk/exhibns/month/july2bns/month/july2001.html001.html

It doesn’t sound modern It doesn’t sound modern to me.to me.

It’s modern because 98% of the It’s modern because 98% of the words used by English speakers then words used by English speakers then are still in use today.are still in use today.

Those English speakers had access Those English speakers had access to the wonderful world of books and to the wonderful world of books and a printing press.a printing press.

They also were able to spread their They also were able to spread their language around the world a bit. language around the world a bit.

WHAT NEXT?WHAT NEXT?

For the next 500 years, things For the next 500 years, things continue to change.continue to change.

Words continue to evolve and get Words continue to evolve and get swapped among languages.swapped among languages.

The language you speak says much The language you speak says much about your history and the history of about your history and the history of the places you were born and live. the places you were born and live.