Who ruled England from about 43 AD until about 410 AD? And why did they leave England?
The Roman Empire ruled England during this time. Julius Caesar initially invaded England, and Claudius continued its conquest. England remained a part of the Roman Empire for centuries until the Roman Empire pulled away due to external invasions. The Roman Empire did not play a large role in creating the English language as we know it because the Romans and Celts lived separately, mostly keeping to themselves.
From a linguistics perspective, what is the definition of dialect vs. language? Explain how the traditional definition can be problematic. (This issue was in one of our Linguistic Connections.)
The key factor that differentiates a language from a dialect is that of mutual intelligibility. However, this definition can be problematic because some versions of English sound completely different from others.
For example, Jamaican dialect is technically English, though it can sound vastly different from standard American dialects of English. Another example of a confusing dialect is Scottish; even though it’s technically English, it’s vastly different from the English one would hear in London, England.
In Learning Module 5, we read the article “Good Old Immigrants of Yesteryear Who Didn’t Learn English: Germans in Wisconsin.” Summarize the main point of the authors? How might this relate to the bilingual situation in England during the Old English period?
The authors prove that German immigrants did not immediately assimiate into American culture, nor did they quickly learn English. Instead, they assimilated slowly, over the course of centuries, showing that language change typically occurs as a blend of conditional and nonconditional factors.
Since the Module 5 article was about immigration, we can relate the main points to Vikings arriving in England during the 8th century. As the Vikings settled into England, their children were able to learn English more freely through exposure, prompting English to absorb aspects of Old Norse.
After the Romans conquered England, the language situation was complex. Explain.
The language system was complex because the Celts and Romans kept to themselves, reducing their impact on English language as a whole. English really began with Germanic invasions in 449 AD. If Germanic tribes hadn’t invaded England, we may speak Celtic now as opposed to English.
Identify the famous Anglo-Saxon epic poem that deals with the evil monster Grendel.
Beowulf
Beowulf was written during
the Old English period
Many speculate that the Indo-Europeans migrated into Europe and western Asian from…
the Eurasian Steppes (above the North Sea)
Which king had some success at stopping the Viking invasion of England?
King Alfred
What is the place of articulation of this sound [ ð ]? (Hint: Think of where the tongue is.)
interdental
William Jones is credited with discovering…
the Indo-European group of languages
In one of the modules, I discussed a letter to the editor that encouraged speakers to use more English words and less Anglo Saxon words. And one of our readings discussed the fact that about 85% of Anglo Saxon words have been lost in present-day English. However, when a native English speaker in the U.S. speaks, an accurate estimate is that about 50% of their words have Anglo Saxon roots. Explain how this could be true.
Language and its components are constantly changing. Few Anglo Saxon words exist in our lexicon today in their original form. Instead, these words have shifted in semantic meaning, phonetic articulation, and spelling over the course of decades.
In the history of English, which has undergone more change?
vowels
What is an allophone?
one or more variants of the same phoneme
What is a basic difference between vowels and consonants?
consonants restrict airflow using an articulator; vowels do not restrict airflow
vowels can be the nucleus of a syllable; consonants cannot
In the word unbelievable, which morpheme or morphemes are bound?
both un- and -able
The OED stands for
Oxford English Dictionary
We have evidence that Hebrew was the first language.
false
What is the traditional starting date for Old English?
449 A.D.
Which is the correct phonetic transcription for the OE word gnat?
/ g n æ t /
Which of the following is a strong verb in Present-Day English:
to write
to start
to look
to stare
to write
What is the Danelaw?
The Danelaw was a treaty between the Anglo-Saxons and the Vikings. The Vikings received the north of Briton, and the Anglo Saxons received the south. The treaty was established by Alfred the Great. Lasting effects of the Danelaw are reflected in Northern English town names.
The word blast had an original meaning of “a strong gust of wind.” It still has this meaning. However, a more modern meaning is “to have a good time.” What is the term used to describe this sort of semantic shift?
amelioration
How can we describe the adjectives prettiest, happiest, and saddest?
superlatives
Language change occurs in every part of the language system except for lexicon.
false
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Outer History of English8
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Inner Traits of English7
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English and the 19th Century5
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LM 2 - Phonology40
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LM 1 Intro to Linguistics5
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reading quiz 1-216
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Quiz 3-436
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Midterm49
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Quiz 1-213
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Reading Quiz 3-421
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LM 3 - Indo-European Roots17
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LM 4: Old English Outer History21
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LM 5: Old English Inner History12
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LM 6: Etymology7
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LM 712
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LM 8: Middle English Inner History20
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LM 11: Early Modern Outer History18
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LM 12: Early Modern Inner History4
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LM 13: PDE0
