篮界神话英语毕业论文 英语的起源及其发展

2021年1月1日发(作者：燕文季)





题 目 The origin and development of English

专业班级 英语02
学 号
学生姓名
学 院 外语学院
指导教师
得 分


完成日期： 2011 年 12 月 12 日









Table of Contents


Abstract
origin of English
English in different period
2.1Old English period
2.1.1The first invasion
2.1.2A cultural revolution
2.1.3The second invasion
2.1.4The third invasion
2.2Middle English period
2.2.1English turning into a formal language
2.2.2The Bible of English vision
2.3Modern English period
2.3.1The influence of The Renaissance
2.3.2The standard English dictionary
2.3.3The maturation of English
3. The development and change of English in linguistic
3.1 Sound change
3.2 Syntactical change
3.3 Lexical change
3.4 Regional Varieties
3. Conclusion
graphy


i

1
3
3
4
5
5
6
7
7
7
8
10
11
11
13
16
19
20
21





Abstract


English belonging to the West Germanic of Germanic stock in Indo-Europe
language system is the third most widely distributed language as a first spoken
language in the world. Nowadays it has turned into the most important
communicating language with the powerful influence of American and British to the
whole world in culture, military, economy, politics and science during the last two
centuries. Due to the frequency communication with other languages, it has changed a
lot in its sound, vocabulary, grammar, etc. A research about its origin and
development is necessary and of great value for us to learn and understand it better. In
the coming content, the different periods of English will be discussed along with some
linguistic changes.














1. The origin of English
English belongs to the West Germanic of Germanic stock in Indo- Europe language
system. Its’ origin and development are deeply connected with the history change of
the English-speaking nations. English, the language of Anglo-Saxon who lived in
Great Britain, has grown up to become a standard and normalized language under the
influence of all kinds of social and history changes.
How did the English and England come from? A long time ago, the Celts called the
people (The Angles, Saxon and Jute) they had conquered Saxons. And the Great
Britain was named as Saxonia. Later in 7
th
century, the Angli and Anglia replaced the
Saxons and Saxonia as the cultural and political influence. Then people started to title
the language widely used in the island as Englisc, and the nations living on it as
Angelcynn( kin of Angles). At the same time, the whole country was regarded as
Englaland( land of the Angles). With a series of revolution in pronunciation and
spelling, it has turned into the English and England we called today.






















2. The English in different period
The development of English, according to the different characters of English in
different time, can be divided into three parts：
Old English (5
th
century---12
th
century)
Middle English (12
th
century--- 16
th
century)
Modern English (16
th
century---……)

2.1 Old English (5
th
century---12
th
century)
The three times of invasion and a cultural revolution had made great power on the
coming into being of English. In short, it was the Angles and Saxons along with
Jutes----three Germanic tribes that brought it to the Great Britain. The early leader of
Christianity Augustinus with his followers made the British begin to believe God,
which let English absorb some elements of Latin and Greek; after that the Danes
enriched it in an artful way; then it was updated by the Frenchman.

2.1.1 The first invasion
In the 5
th
century, the three Germanic tribes (the Angles, the Saxons and Jutes)
living in the northern and western Europe invaded into Britain successively. The
language they used was very similar to each other for they all used a kind of word
which was called Runic. Its letters were linear symbols, which was said to be easily
caved in the wood or stone. The Runic was invented in the foundation of the ancient
Greek and Latin, a kind of Nordic tablet text. As time passed by, the Angles, Saxons
and Jutes gradually built a united nation----English. In the same time, a new language,
Anglo-Saxon, was born because of the combination of the different tribes’ languages.
That is the old English. It was the product of a series of nations’ migrations and
conquests in the particular geographical and historical environment.

2.1.2 A cultural revolution
In the year of 597, the Christianity came into Britain; along with it was a great
deal of Latin words, which added vitality to the Anglo-Saxon culture. Many churches

and monasteries were built after the establishment of Christianity in that time. Those
buildings were the foundation stone of the Anglo-Saxon culture. Clergy and teacher
encouraged people to write with their own language and supported them to do a lot of
cultural and artistic activities. This revolution did not only expand the vocabulary of
English, but also promoted the ability of its function in expressing abstract
conceptions.

2.1.3 The second invasion
In 793, the Scandinavia people who were called ‘Danes’ by British in Northern
Europe controlled the Britain after Knut (the king of Dane) was crowned to be the
king of Britain. This kind of governance concededly had a significant influence on the
development of English. From that time on, the structure of English was simplified
and the ability of expression was more powerful than before with an abundant way of
expression.

2.1.4 The third invasion
Normans conquered the Britain in year of 1066, which was another turning point
of English. In the 300 years domination of Normans, the French, the language of
conqueror, was wildly used in the British palace and nobilities as an authority
language. But the common people were still using English as communicating tool.
Besides the Norman king did not forbid his subjects to use it, but to learn it. This
situation is so similar to India when it was a colony of the British Empire. By the end
of 12
Th
century, English had already become the spoken language of the whole British
society.

2.2 Middle English (12
th
century---16
th
century)
2.2.1 English turning into a formal language
From the 13
th
century, many national works written in English had come out in
different districts. Although Latin and French were still used in literature, the most
important and creative works were written in English. It gradually replaced the
position of Latin and French to be the formal language of British political and social
life. That is to say, it finally got its way in literature writing. In the October 18
th
of

1258, the Norman king, William I, made an announcement ‘The Henry III’s
Announcement’ after he became the king of Britain. It was published in three kind of
language: French, Latin and English. While in 1362, Edward III firstly made an
opening speech in English when he was holding a meeting. At the same year, Edward
III promulgated a decree at the request of lower house that English should be used in
the court trial instead of French. It was a great announcement. In 1385, English had
already replaced the French to be the teaching language. And people began to write
petition to the parliament in English in 1386. In that time, English was not only used
in the political and social life, it also took a leading role in the academics and
religious circles. The great British poet Geoffrey Chaucer (1340-1400) who was titled
as ‘the father of English poetry’ devoted himself to creating English works throughout
all his life, though he was very good at mastering Latin and French and imitating the
French and Italian poems. He set a good example for the contemporary and
subsequent poets to use their native language for their literature creation.

2.2.2 The Bible of English vision
In 1382, John Wycliffe, the theology professor of Oxford, made an English vision
of ‘The Bible’ from Latin one. As an eminent religious reformer, he also proposed to
do religious service in English in the church. And it was accepted by the British
people. The characteristic and style of the native language had been well embodied in
the Bible, which did a great help to the standardization of English and the creation of
English prose with the blooming of religion.


2.3 Modern English (16
th
century---……)
2.3.1 The influence of The Renaissance
In the renaissance, the British writer and scholar borrowed a lot of alien words
from other languages such as Latin, French, Spanish and so on in order to express
new things and thoughts. They also created many new words. This was sure to have
enlarged the English vocabulary, but in the other way, it also caused a chaotic
situation. At the same time, the British churches had broken up with the bishop of