Incorporating American English into the History of English

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Allison Burkette
Keyword(s):  
Historical Linguistic ◽  
Language Contact ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Evolution ◽  
American English ◽  
Special Focus ◽  
Social Forces ◽  
Phonological Processes ◽  
History Of ◽  
Natural Result

This chapter provides some suggestions for the inclusion of the history of American English into the larger context of the History of the English Language (HEL). By touching on themes found throughout within the external and internal history of English, for example, language contact and specific morphological and phonological processes, respectively, one can include lessons on American English and its varieties as an extension of the History of English, demonstrating to students that language “evolution” is an ongoing process and that variation within the language is a natural result of historical, linguistic, and social forces. This chapter begins with a (brief) general narrative of the development of American English and then offers a series of possible themes that could be incorporated into a HEL class for special focus, along with assignments and/or additional resources that encourage students to engage with the focus topics more deeply.

Shanna Poplack (ed.), The English history of African American English. (Language in Society, 28.) Oxford: Blackwell, 2000. Pp. v + 277. Pb $31.95.

2001 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 311-316
Author(s):  
John Baugh
Keyword(s):  
Historical Linguistic ◽  
African American ◽  
African Americans ◽  
English Language ◽  
American English ◽  
African American English ◽  
African American Vernacular English ◽  
English History ◽  
Vernacular English ◽  
History Of

Poplack and other contributors to this important volume are to be commended for an exceptionally well crafted book, with a succession of groundbreaking studies of African American English (AAE). Although this work will undoubtedly add fuel to the flames of historical linguistic controversy that continue to swirl around African Americans, Poplack and her colleagues go far to advance hypotheses and analyses that argue in favor of the English origins of African American Vernacular English (AAVE).

Researching World Englishes in HEL Courses

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carol Percy
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
American English ◽  
Code Switching ◽  
World Englishes ◽  
Literary Analysis ◽  
Online Newspapers ◽  
The World ◽  
The Status ◽  
History Of ◽  
Final Essay

This chapter describes assignments used to teach the History of the English Language (HEL) and its contemporary counterpart the English Language in the World. In both of these courses, linguistic concepts can be linked to literary analysis, which helps students learn how to analyze code-switching and/or style-shifting in the context of a literary argument. For discovering and interpreting issues about the status and use of English around the world, students have a number of options. For example, after reading specific articles about slang generally and analyzing examples chosen in class, some students choose to write a final essay on slang or jargon used within online newspapers or films that represent different World Englishes (e.g., in Nigerian “Nollywood” films). Thus, World Englishes become realer for students rather than exotic abstractions or curious variants of English or American English.

scholarly journals On the linguistic history of Kurdish

2014 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 123-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas Jügel
Keyword(s):  
Historical Linguistic ◽  
Language Contact ◽  
Linguistic History ◽  
History Of ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Grammatical Change ◽  
Modern Varieties

Historical linguistic sources of Kurdish date back just a few hundred years, thus it is not possible to track the profound grammatical changes of Western Iranian languages in Kurdish. Through a comparison with attested languages of the Middle Iranian period, this paper provides a hypothetical chronology of grammatical changes. It allows us to tentatively localise the approximate time when modern varieties separated with regard to the respective grammatical change. In order to represent the types of linguistic relationship involved, distinct models of language contact and language continua are set up. Li ser tarîxa zimannasî ya zimanê kurdîÇavkaniyên tarîxî yên zimanê kurdî bes bi qasî çend sedsalan kevn in, lewma em nikarin di zimanê kurdî de wan guherînên bingehî yên rêzimana zimanên îranî yên rojavayî destnîşan bikin. Ev meqale kronolojiyeke ferazî ya guherînên rêzimanî yên kurdiyê dabîn dike bi rêya muqayesekirina bi wan zimanên xwedan-belge yên serdema îraniya navîn. Bi vî rengî, em dikarin bi awayekî muweqet dem û serdemeke teqrîbî diyar bikin ku tê de ziman û şêwezarên nû ji aliyê guherînên rêzimanî ve jêk cuda bûne. Ji bo berçavkirina awayên têkiliya zimanî di navbera zimanan de, modêlên cihê yên temasa zimanî û dirêjeya zimanî hatine danîn. ١. سەبارەت بە مێژووی زمانناسیی زمانی کوردی سەرچاوە مێژووە زمانناسییەکانی زمانی کوردی تەنیا بۆ چەند سەدە پێش ئێستا دەگەڕێنەوە، بۆیە ناکرێت شوێن پێی گۆڕانکارییە پڕمانا ڕێزمانییەکانی زمانەکانی ڕۆژئاوای ئێران لەناو زمانی کوردیدا هەڵگرین. ئەم وتارە، لە ڕێگەی بەراوردکردنی زمانی کوردی لەگەڵ زمانەکانی قۆناغی ئێرانی ناوەندی کە بەڵگەمەندن، کرۆنۆلۆجیایەکی گریمانەیی لە گۆڕانکارییە ڕێزمانییەکان بەدەستەوە دەدات. ئەم ڕێکارە ڕێگەمان پێ دەدات، کە بەشێوەیەکی تاقیکاری، کاتێک نزیک بەو سەردەمە دەستنیشان بکەین کە جۆراوجۆرییە نوێکان بەگوێرەی گۆڕانی ڕێزمانیی پەیوەندیدار لە یەک جیا دەبنەوە. بۆ پیشاندانی جۆرەکانی پەیوەندی زمانناسی کە لێرەدا خۆیان دەردەخەن، چەند مۆدێلی جیاواز لە بەرکەوتنی زمانی و درێژەدانی زمانی ئامادە کراوە.

scholarly journals Perceptions of Pakistani Learners of English about Standard British and American English: An Exploratory Approach

sjesr ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 99-106
Author(s):  
Dr. Syed Shujaat Ali ◽  
Muhammad Ishtiaq ◽  
Muhammad Shahid
Keyword(s):  
English Language ◽  
American English ◽  
British English ◽  
American Variety ◽  
The People ◽  
Exploratory Approach ◽  
National University ◽  
History Of ◽  
The Government ◽  
Single Variety

Pakistani learners of English are exposed to the same degree to both the British and the American variety of English language. There is no state policy or direction regarding the preference of one variety over the other in being used for getting education. Overall society and educational institutes are free to adopt or promote any variety that they deem proper. Both the varieties are used extensively, are quite popular, and enjoy sufficient means and reasons to be effective in society. The lack of uniformity in adopting a particular variety leads to multiple problems, including an English variety having features of both American and British English in different degrees, depending on each user’s different degree of exposure to both the varieties. For ensuring uniformity and avoiding confusion, the researcher thought it compulsory to make a recommendation for the adoption of a single variety out of the two, based on its suitability and utility. However, the researcher feels it urgent that before making recommendations to the government for the adoption of a single variety, the wishes and predilections of the people of Pakistan have to be considered and the reasons why some prefer British variety and some the American variety have to be identified and assessed. If they preferred a feature of English, then did they know which variety it belonged to and if they knew then why did they like it. In the process, the researcher also strove to find out as to what extent the knowledge of literature and history of the country of the variety, contributed to affecting the preference of the Pakistani people. Data was gathered from sixty-six participants from two universities of Pakistan, namely Kohat University of Science and Technology (KUST) Kohat from the KP Province on the provincial level, and National University of Modern Languages (NUML) Islamabad from the Federal capital, Islamabad, on the federal level; participants were enquired about their approaches, attitudes, and feelings towards the variety of English they preferred and to explain reasons and motives behind the selection/rejection of one or other of the two varieties, through a questionnaire having seven close-ended and three open-ended items.

scholarly journals Middle english names of potters: the determinant analysis of the series of synonyms

2019 ◽  
Vol 12 (21) ◽  
pp. 124-130
Author(s):  
Oksana Dobrovolska ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Middle English ◽  
English Language ◽  
Language Evolution ◽  
Functional Differentiation ◽  
Semantic Group ◽  
Semantic System ◽  
Chronological Period ◽  
History Of ◽  
Linguistic Methods ◽  
Determinant Analysis

Background: The article deals with the scientific problem of the reconstruction of language evolution in the aspect of historical dynamics of linguistic processes in the semantic system of the English language. The topicality of the research is determined by the need to study the issues of the theories of language development, language changes, modern systemic linguistics and language interference in the parameters of the complex dynamic adaptive system on the basis of the numerical empirical material within the long chronological period in different functions. Purpose: It is relevant to study the development of a particular series of synonyms as a sub-system within the lexical-semantic group in the aspect of determinant analysis. The research methodology is the combination of the traditional linguistic methods together with new systemic functional techniques of the reconstruction of the evolution of semantic system. The aim of the article is to reconstruct the development of the semantic subsystem of the names of potters in Middle English by establishing the specifics of the support of the internal determinant of the semantic group of occupational terms in Middle English at the level of the series of synonyms. The tasks of the research are the following: to make analyses of the etymological composition of the word-stems, functional differentiation and chronological stratification of the first written attestations of the Middle English names of potters. The subject of the study is the etymological composition, functional differentiation and chronological stratification of the Middle English occupational terms. The object of the study is the series of synonyms – the names of potters as a subsystem of the semantic group of Middle English occupational terms. Results: There 8 names of potters in Middle English, forming 0.33% of the total number of Middle English occupational terms. The formation of the series of synonyms under study predominantly belongs to the 12th – 15th centuries, only one word being neologism of the Modern English period. The ratio of English words, loan-blends and borrowings is 55 %:15.5 %:12.5 %. Discussion: The scientific novelty of the research lies in the new functional approach to the history of vocabulary study, as well as the usage of new techniques of linguistic investigation applied to the new object of the study, esp. a particular series of synonyms as a constituent part of the larger systems of language. The results indicate the strict subordination of functioning and development of the series of synonyms of the Middle English names of potters to the language determinant of the semantic group of occupational terms and the English language as a whole. The article draws the prospective of further studies in the field of language evolution of the semantic system in the aspect of determinant analysis of its subsystems.

An Ecological Account of the Emergence and Evolution of English

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salikoko S. Mufwene
Keyword(s):  
Early Modern ◽  
Middle English ◽  
Language Contact ◽  
English Language ◽  
Ecological Model ◽  
World Englishes ◽  
The World ◽  
Population Structures ◽  
History Of

What follows is a contact-based account of the emergence of English. Though the role of language contact in the development of World Englishes is often addressed as a coda within History of the English Language (HEL) courses, this chapter presents an alternative story, highlighting contact situations in Old English, Middle English, and Early Modern English. The creolist perspective offered here suggests that History of English instructors should look closer at the received doctrine of HEL and consider whether an ecological model should not be used to make sense of the story of Englishes. A periodized history of colonization and of the ensuing population structures that influence language contact appears to explain a great deal about the differential evolution of English in various parts of the world, including what distinguishes colonial English dialects from their creole counterparts.

Old English intensifiers

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
James M. Stratton
Keyword(s):  
Old English ◽  
Language Contact ◽  
English Language ◽  
Driving Forces ◽  
English System ◽  
History Of ◽  
Internal And External Factors ◽  
Diachronic Development ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
Attributive Adjectives

Abstract While many studies have employed variationist methods to examine longitudinal changes in the English intensifier system, to date, no variationist studies have tackled the intensifier system of Old English. By providing a critical view of this system at an earlier stage in the history of the English language, the present study adds to the long tradition of scholarship on intensifiers while providing new insight into their diachronic development. Despite its antiquity, several parallels can be drawn with the intensifier system at later stages in the language. Both internal and external factors are found to constrain this system, with predicative adjectives favoring intensification over attributive adjectives, prose texts having higher intensification rates than verse texts, Latin-based texts having higher intensification rates than vernacular texts, and the rate of intensification increasing over time. The quantitative analysis of the Old English system also increases the time depth necessary for a more detailed reflection on the diachronic recycling, replacement, and renewal of intensifiers. Language contact and borrowing are also postulated as driving forces of innovation and replacement in earlier stages of the English language.

scholarly journals From SOV to SVO

2020 ◽  
pp. 22-48
Author(s):  
Freja Bang Lauridsen
Keyword(s):  
Language Contact ◽  
English Language ◽  
Morphological Features ◽  
Old Norse ◽  
Linguistic Features ◽  
Two Cultures ◽  
Syntactic Features ◽  
The Two Cultures ◽  
History Of ◽  
Constituent Order

The change in constituent order in English is one of the most thoroughly investigated changes in the history of the English language. Even so, there is still disagreement among scholars as to what caused the change. The aim of this article is to argue that it was the influence of the Scandinavians and their language, Old Norse, that caused English to abandon the SOV constituent order and instead adopt SVO constituent order. Because of the intense language contact between the two cultures, several linguistic features of Old Norse found their way into the English language. Numerous morphological features were borrowed from Old Norse, but especially the adoption of syntactic features such as stylistic fronting and CP-V2 suggests that Old Norse influence was strong enough to affect the basic syntax of English and thus strong enough to have initiated the change in English constituent order.

scholarly journals Wpływy polskie w jidysz według "History of the Yiddish Language" Maxa Weinreicha – przegląd i próby weryfikacji

2016 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 88-118
Author(s):  
Michał Gajek
Keyword(s):  
Significant Role ◽  
Language Contact ◽  
English Language ◽  
Word Formation ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Important Task ◽  
General Character ◽  
History Of ◽  
Slavic Studies

Polish influence on Yiddish as described in Max Weinreich’s History of the Yiddish Language – overview and attempts at verificationThe Article concentrates on the findings regarding Slavic influence on Yiddish, described in the newest English-language edition of Max Weinreich’s History of the Yiddish Language – a canonical title for modern Yiddish studies. Its first task is to acquaint Polish readers with M. Weinreich’s propositions and findings on the general character of Polish-Yiddish and Slavic-Yiddish language contact. This will also be taken as an opportunity to briefly review the research on this subject conducted by Polish scholars. Additionally, the article will elaborate (albeit not exhaustively) on the attempts to question and verify M. Weinreich’s theories which may prove interesting from the point of view of Slavic studies. Its second, equally important task is to describe chosen examples of the results of Slavic influence, in which Polish played a significant role, as they present themselves in the lexicon, morphology, word formation and syntax of Yiddish. Wpływy polskie w jidysz według History of the Yiddish Language Maxa Weinreicha – przegląd i próby weryfikacjiArtykuł skupia się na ustaleniach na temat wpływów słowiańskich w jidysz, zawartych w najnowszym, anglojęzycznym wydaniu pracy Maxa Weinreicha pt. History of the Yiddish Language, mającej status pozycji kanonicznej współczesnej jidyszystyki. Jego pierwszym celem jest przybliżenie polskiemu czytelnikowi tez i ustaleń M. Weinreicha, dotyczących ogólnego charakteru językowych kontaktów polsko- i słowiańsko-żydowskich. Przy tej okazji uwzględnione zostaną informacje na temat badań, jakie do tej pory poczynili w tej materii językoznawcy polscy. Ponadto (niewyczerpująco) poruszona zostanie kwestia prób weryfikacji i podważenia jego twierdzeń, interesująca z punktu widzenia slawistyki. Drugim, nie mniej ważnym zadaniem jest przedstawienie wybranych wpływów słowiańskich, w których niemały udział miała polszczyzna, w poszczególnych podsystemach języka jidysz: leksyce, morfologii i słowotwórstwie oraz składni.

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