About the origins of the About the origins of the English languageEnglish language

Выполнила : Носкова Маргарита, 6 класс, МБОУ СОШ №2, г.ИркутскРуководитель: учитель английского языка: Баранова Наталья Валентиновна

The English language is spoken today in parts of Europe, in America, Asia, Africa, New Zealand, in some of the islands of the Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is spoken as a first language by 320- 370 million people. It is also used as a second language by almost the same number of people, and as a foreign language by millions more. English often called a “world language”.English is used for many different kinds of international communication. Politics and business are often carried out in English. Most medical and scientific studies are written in English. E. is the language of much of the world’s pop music and films. But who were the first English speakers? Let’s know about it!

Our understanding of the history of English began at the end of the 18Our understanding of the history of English began at the end of the 18 thth century when Sir William Jones, a British judge who lived in India, began century when Sir William Jones, a British judge who lived in India, began to study Sanskrit. He noticed many similarities between Sanskrit, Latin, to study Sanskrit. He noticed many similarities between Sanskrit, Latin,

Greek and other European languages. But the common source- the Greek and other European languages. But the common source- the language from which all these languages developed- is now known as language from which all these languages developed- is now known as

Proto-Indo-European. All development of English language can divide into Proto-Indo-European. All development of English language can divide into three periods: 1. Old English; 2. Middle English;three periods: 1. Old English; 2. Middle English;

3. Modern English.3. Modern English.

Old English Old English is the language spoken in England is the language spoken in England from arrival of the Anglo- Saxons at the end of the from arrival of the Anglo- Saxons at the end of the fifth century until the Norman Conquest in 1066. fifth century until the Norman Conquest in 1066. There were four main dialects of Old English: West There were four main dialects of Old English: West Saxon, Kentish, Mercian, and Northhumbrian. The Saxon, Kentish, Mercian, and Northhumbrian. The dialects had small differences in grammar, dialects had small differences in grammar, vocabulary and pronunciation. Old English was vocabulary and pronunciation. Old English was almost completely Germanic. The dialects had very almost completely Germanic. The dialects had very few Celtic words: only about twenty (e.g. crag, har- few Celtic words: only about twenty (e.g. crag, har- high; London, Avon, Esk etc.). high; London, Avon, Esk etc.). As a result of the spread of Christianity from 597, As a result of the spread of Christianity from 597, the Anglo- Saxons borrowed a number of Latin the Anglo- Saxons borrowed a number of Latin words from the Roman Christians: monk, school, words from the Roman Christians: monk, school, window, chest, to spend, to dance, to turn.window, chest, to spend, to dance, to turn.

Like other Indo- European Like other Indo- European languages, Old English created new languages, Old English created new words by combining old words: high words by combining old words: high hill (heahbeorg) meant mountain; hill (heahbeorg) meant mountain; book-skill (boccraeft) meant book-skill (boccraeft) meant literature; sun’s day (sunnandaeg) literature; sun’s day (sunnandaeg) meant Sunday. Poets combined meant Sunday. Poets combined words very frequently to make many words very frequently to make many beautiful descriptions: an expression beautiful descriptions: an expression for body was bone- house, one for for body was bone- house, one for the sea was the water’s back. O. E. the sea was the water’s back. O. E. also created new words by adding also created new words by adding letters before or after the main word: letters before or after the main word: gan- to go; togan- to go into; utgan- gan- to go; togan- to go into; utgan- to go out.to go out.Nouns had three genders, and Nouns had three genders, and adjectives and articles changed adjectives and articles changed according to the gender of the noun.according to the gender of the noun.

The next great influence on the The next great influence on the language came with a new group of language came with a new group of invaders: the Vikings as the Anglo-invaders: the Vikings as the Anglo-Saxons called them. After that, the Saxons called them. After that, the first book was appeared. The first book was appeared. The language was enriched following language was enriched following words: sister, wish, want, sick, ill, words: sister, wish, want, sick, ill, church, bag, cake, die, egg, get, give, church, bag, cake, die, egg, get, give, husband, leg, neck, same, take.husband, leg, neck, same, take.

Middle EnglishMiddle EnglishIn the four hundred years the English In the four hundred years the English language changed more than in any language changed more than in any other time in history. Thousand of other time in history. Thousand of words from French came into the words from French came into the language: language: chair, city, crime, fashion, chair, city, crime, fashion, fruit, gentle, government, medicine, fruit, gentle, government, medicine, music, palace, river, table, travel.music, palace, river, table, travel. New English words were created New English words were created from some of the new French words from some of the new French words almost immediately: almost immediately: -ly-ly and and –ful–ful endings were added to French words endings were added to French words to make to make gently, peacefulgently, peaceful..At the same time several thousand At the same time several thousand words also entered English from words also entered English from Latin. They came from books about Latin. They came from books about law, medicine, science, literature or law, medicine, science, literature or Christianity: Christianity: admit, history, admit, history, impossible, necessary, picture.impossible, necessary, picture.

The grammar grew simpler was by losing The grammar grew simpler was by losing some of different endings for nouns, some of different endings for nouns, adjectives and pronouns: the plural noun adjectives and pronouns: the plural noun ending –(e)s was accepted everywhere in ending –(e)s was accepted everywhere in England. The main change to verbs was to England. The main change to verbs was to the past tense. More of the O. E. verbs that the past tense. More of the O. E. verbs that changed vowels for the past now began to changed vowels for the past now began to end in –ed. People began to use end in –ed. People began to use prepositions: in, by, with, from instead of prepositions: in, by, with, from instead of noun endings. The official papers of the noun endings. The official papers of the government and the Church were written government and the Church were written in Latin or French. But from the thirteenth in Latin or French. But from the thirteenth century, English was used in official century, English was used in official papers and also in literature. The greatest papers and also in literature. The greatest writers of that time were Geoffrey Chauser writers of that time were Geoffrey Chauser (“The Canterbury Tales”), William (“The Canterbury Tales”), William Shakespeare.Shakespeare.In that century an important invention In that century an important invention was. It was the printing machine. It had an was. It was the printing machine. It had an enormous effect on the language, enormous effect on the language, especially on the literature.especially on the literature.

Modern EnglishModern EnglishThe sixteenth century was full of changes in The sixteenth century was full of changes in Europe. At the beginning of the 16Europe. At the beginning of the 16 thth century century Latin was the language of learning in all Latin was the language of learning in all Europe. But in England people wanted to read Europe. But in England people wanted to read books, for example, in English. During the books, for example, in English. During the 1616thth and 17 and 17thth cent., writers in English cent., writers in English borrowed about 30,000 words from about borrowed about 30,000 words from about fifty languages (America, Africa, Asia, fifty languages (America, Africa, Asia, Mexico, Turkey, Persia, Spain, Portugal): Mexico, Turkey, Persia, Spain, Portugal): desperate, expensive, explain, fact, desperate, expensive, explain, fact, chocolate, tomato, banana, coffee, caravan.chocolate, tomato, banana, coffee, caravan.

New words were also added to English in New words were also added to English in other ways: adventurous- other ways: adventurous- to laugh, to to laugh, to scratch, shadescratch, shade; put two words together- ; put two words together- chairman, uncomfortablechairman, uncomfortable. In the years of . In the years of Elizabeth I the development of literature Elizabeth I the development of literature was- Spenser, Sidney, Marlowe, Jonson was- Spenser, Sidney, Marlowe, Jonson and William Shakespeare. In the years of and William Shakespeare. In the years of King James I the Bible was translated into King James I the Bible was translated into English and different expressions of English and different expressions of everyday speech were appeared: everyday speech were appeared: by the by the skin of your teethskin of your teeth (you only just manage (you only just manage to do smth), to do smth), the salt of the earththe salt of the earth (a very (a very honest person) etc. People began to use honest person) etc. People began to use do do with a main verb. Changes in with a main verb. Changes in pronunciation were continually taking pronunciation were continually taking place: the long vowels /i:/, /u:/. Sounds in place: the long vowels /i:/, /u:/. Sounds in some other words disappeared: the /k/ some other words disappeared: the /k/ or /w/ at the beginning of words were lost- or /w/ at the beginning of words were lost- knee, write.knee, write.

From 1800 to 2000 there were a From 1800 to 2000 there were a few changes in English, but not few changes in English, but not very many. The main difficulty very many. The main difficulty was misunderstanding the huge was misunderstanding the huge number of new words. Here number of new words. Here some examples: combining two some examples: combining two old words- old words- airport, streetwiseairport, streetwise; ; computers- computers- onlineonline, , downloaddownload, , videovideo; borrowings- ; borrowings- pizza, pizza, discodisco; new things we buy- ; new things we buy- CokeCoke from Coca-Cola, from Coca-Cola, walkmanwalkman from Sony Walkman; from Sony Walkman; shortenings- shortenings- photo, planephoto, plane, , TV;TV; slang- slang- bossboss; combining two ; combining two different words- different words- smogsmog (smoke + (smoke + fog), new created words- fog), new created words- nylonnylon, , flip- flopflip- flop. The dictionaries were . The dictionaries were appeared very quicklyappeared very quickly

English was, is and will be!English was, is and will be!

Thank you for attention!