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The History of the English Language Brigit Viney
Introduction
This ungraded summary is for the teacher’s use only and should not be given to students.
Chapter summary Chapter 1 (A world language) looks at the combination of factors that make English a world language: the numbers both of first-language speakers (eg. in the US and Canada) and of second-language speakers (eg. in India), its use in international business, and its worldwide prevalence in entertainment and the media.
Chapter 7 (Bringing order to English) explores
Chapter 2 (The beginnings of English) shows that
how widespread anxiety about the changing language
around the fifth century BC, Celts from central Europe
made books about ‘correct’ spelling and grammar very
came to Britain. The Roman invasion had little effect on
popular. The most important of these was Samuel
their language but later, as the Anglo-Saxons arrived in
Johnson’s comprehensive dictionary of 1755.
large numbers in the south-east, the Celts migrated
Chapter 8 (Modern English grows) looks at English
to the northern and western areas of the British isles,
grammar and how it has been relatively stable for the last
and the Germanic dialects of the new settlers replaced
two centuries, but there have been enormous changes
the Celtic languages.
in vocabulary, particularly in the areas of science and
Chapter 3 (Old English) describes the spread of
technology. Also, a new, informal type of writing has
Christian monasteries, churches and schools in Anglo-
developed for use in chat rooms and text messages.
Saxon Britain. This made Latin an important language,
Chapter 9 (English in the US) looks back four
and many Latin words were introduced. However, King
centuries when European settlers started to arrive in
Alfred, in resisting the Viking threat, emphasised the
America. With independence in 1776, the Americans
importance of English in education and literature. At
wanted to feel proud of their own variety of English,
the same time, the presence of the Vikings brought
and Webster’s dictionaries of American English were
many Scandinavian words into the language.
very popular.
Chapter 4 (The Normans in England) shows that
Chapter 10 (All kinds of English) describes all
with the crowning of the Norman King William in
English-speaking countries as having their own
1066, French immediately became the language of the
Standard English. In addition, there are many regional
governing classes. However, in the following centuries,
dialects all over the world, and new varieties of English
as the Normans and English intermarried, and England
are constantly being created, often through interaction
lost its French territory, French declined in importance.
with local languages.
Chapter 5 (Middle English) is about the Norman
Chapter 11 (Jargon and slang) shows how people
Conquest and how it resulted in major changes to
with the same hobby or profession often use jargon
English. Thousands of French words came into the
when discussing details or complicated ideas between
language, and its grammar became simpler. However,
themselves. Slang, on the other hand, is a colourful
dialects and spelling variations proliferated. The East
way of talking about more everyday things, and enables
Midlands dialect, used in Oxford, Cambridge and
people to show that belong to a particular group.
London, gradually became standard.
Chapter 12 (The future of English) looks forward.
Chapter 6 (Modern English begins) describes how
English will remain important for first-language speakers.
exploration and trade in the 16th century meant that
But will it remain a world language – or will other
words started to come into English from all over the
languages become more important? Will some countries
world. And with the help of the newly introduced
stop teaching English in order to preserve their own
printing press, English started to overtake Latin as
language? Will a World Standard English develop, or will
the language of learning. There was a great flowering
there be more and more varieties? Only time will tell.
of language and literature, as seen in the work of Shakespeare and the King James Bible.
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The History of the English Language
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Pre-reading activity Word search Look at the definitions and find the words in the word search below. A
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DEFINITIONS: 1 a word that describes a person or thing (for example tall) 2 an online diary 3 you can communicate with other Internet users in a ______ room 4 a variety of language which is spoken in one area 5 improvement of knowledge, for example at school or university 6 the rules of a language 7 to enter another country by force in order to take control of it 8 pieces of writing, especially novels, plays and poems 9 a word that refers to a thing, person or place (for example teacher) 10 to put words on paper using a machine 11 the sound of a word or letter 12 to make your home in a new country 13 a word that expresses an action (for example write) 14 the letters a, e, i, o and u, and the sounds they represent 15 a place on the Internet where you can find information To the teacher Aim: To encourage students to predict the content of
are taken from the glossary). Go through the words
the book and to introduce key vocabulary
and deal with any remaining difficulties over meanings.
Time: 15–-20 minutes
Finally, ask students how some of the words (such as
Organization: Give one copy of the word search to
settle, print and blog) might be used in a book about the
each student or put the word search on an overhead
development of the English language.
projector. Give the students five to ten minutes to find
Key:
as many words as possible. (Words go from left to right
5 education, 6 grammar, 7 invade, 8 literature,
or top to bottom.) Then ask them to match the words
9 noun, 10 print, 11 pronunciation, 12 settle, 13 verb,
they have found with the definitions (most of which
14 vowel, 15 website.
PHOTOCOPIABLE
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1
adjective,
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blog,
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chat,
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dialect,
STAGE
4
The History of the English Language While reading activity Order the events
EVENT
ORDER
a
Jutes, Angles and Saxons started to settle in southern and eastern Britain.
b
King Alfred learnt Latin so that he could translate important books into English.
c
The Romans invaded Britain.
d
The Anglo-Saxon King Alfred won an important battle against the Vikings.
e
Some British Celts moved north and west to Scotland and Wales, or across the sea to France.
f
Many French words started to come into the English language.
g
The Romans left Britain.
h
The Celts left their homeland in central Europe.
i
The Anglo-Saxon King Harold was killed, and William became King of England.
j
England was separated into two parts, with one part controlled by the Vikings and the other part controlled by the Anglo-Saxons.
k
The Celts settled in Britain.
l
The Vikings came to Britain and destroyed some important centres of learning.
m
William of Normandy came to England with his army.
n
Some British Celts learnt to speak and write Latin.
o
The Anglo-Saxons organised themselves into seven kingdoms.
1
To the teacher Where: At the end of chapter 5
completed the re-ordering exercise, and it has been
Aim: To revise, order and summarize some of the key
checked, ask them to talk about some of the events
facts and events so far
and their implications in more detail. You could also ask
Time: 10–20 minutes
students to try to connect some of the sentences using
Organization: Give out the worksheet to pairs of groups
suitable linking words or phrases.
of students and ask them to put the events in the right
Key: 1h, 2k, 3c, 4n, 5g, 6a, 7e, 8o, 9l, 10d, 11j, 12b, 13m,
order, 1–15. (Note that it is not necessary to remember
14i, 15f.
dates of events, just the sequence.) When they have
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© OXFORD UNIVERSITY PRESS PHOTOCOPIABLE
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4
The History of the English Language After reading activity Word grid
Find the answers to the clues below and fill in the word grid. When you have finished you will find another word running down the middle. What is the word? 1
______ has more first-language speakers than any other language.
2
The American English spelling of colour.
3
Augustine came to Britain with a group of ______ to teach the Anglo-Saxons about Christianity.
4
Bread and honey is ______ slang for money.
5
In Australian English, full as a boot is an expression that means very ______.
6
In an Internet chat room, thx usually means ______.
7
The variety of English used in air traffic control.
8
Shakespeare had a ______ of at least twenty thousand words.
9
This means autumn in American English.
10 Samuel Johnson spent nine years working on a ______.
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11 After ______ won the Battle of Hastings, French became a very important language in England.
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12 The ______ brought roads, baths and theatres when they invaded Britain.
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13 Geoffrey Chaucer wrote a long poem about a group of people who travel to ______ together.
13
To the teacher Aim: To revise and discuss some of the main characters,
than English at school? Has your country’s language
themes and events in the book
changed over history – if so, how? Are there different
Time: 20–25 minutes
dialects and varieties of your own language? Which are
Organization: Give each student, or group of students,
the most famous plays and poems in your country, and
a copy of the word grid. Ask the students to read the
what are they about?
clues, write in the words and find the word running
Key: 1 Chinese, 2 color, 3 monks, 4 rhyming, 5 drunk,
down the centre. Go through the answers as a class and
6 thanks, 7 Airspeak, 8 vocabulary, 9 fall, 10 dictionary,
see how much the students can remember, and what
11 William, 12 Romans, 13 Canterbury. Hidden word:
they think, about some of the topics mentioned. For
communication.
example: Should students have to learn Chinese rather PHOTOCOPIABLE
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