Welcome back to n p t e l, the national program
on technology enhanced learning, being brought
you by the Indian institutes of technology
and the Indian institute of science. We have
completed 1 module in our series of lectures,
collectively entitled English language and
literature. In the last module, we had talked
about several things and among them the important
point that I would like to read through it.
Is that this course is meant primarily for
students in various engineering colleges,
in India for whom it is necessary, to have
a basic knowledge of English, as language
of communication along with it.
It is also important, that they know or they
are acquainted with English literature and
some aspects of literary theory and the English
language. So, with that view, we talked about
several things in our first module. We talked
about; the scope of English studies, we there
is a transition being made from English as
understood, as is so hitherto understood.
And now we talk also about, or largely, sorry
about English studies which also comprises,
not just English as it is understood spoken,
the literatures of England.
But also, English as it is spoken understood,
and its literatures in various parts of the
world, not necessarily also only in the commonwealth
nations, we also spoke about the alchemy of
English, when we base our lecture on the work
done by professor Braj Kachru, We also look
at the importance of culture study, so along
with it do here in the first you know, the
first few minutes of this lecture; we are
going to do recap, of some of the things that
we did in our last module.
We saw that for instance, when we talked about
the scope of English studies, we include broadly
speaking three areas. And these areas are
literatures in English, remember we’re not
saying English literature, we are saying literatures
in English, English linguistics and English
sociolinguistics. Now, these are by no means
the only 3 domains, which comprises the scope
of English studies, but I had asserted in
that particular lecture, that these are nevertheless,
the core areas, that we need to look at when
we talk about, the scope of English studies.
Then further, we found that when we do courses
on English studies or English language and
literature.
There are now increasing in emphasis, puts
on or laid on, areas such as journalism, the
philosophy of language in general, literary
theory and criticism, creative writing, electronic
texts and publishing in hypertext, film and
media and communication. So, the study of
language, particularly as in our case, the
English language does not stop only at literatures,
does not stop at sociolinguistics etcetera.
But also kind of percolates down to associated
or kindred domains like journalism, media
studies, even the philosophy of language,
follow communication and electronic publishing.
So, these are the things that we found in
our lecture on the scope of the English studies.
Then we also found, very important thing that
there is one domain or sub domain, which we
should not leave, though leave out at least
in our discussion of the scope, of the study
of English.
We do not have discussions on those areas,
which are largely to do with proficiency,
in the English language and for instance,
English for special purposes and the use of
English as a second language. So, these are
not being brought here, because there are
also as far as proficiency is concern, on
the use of English for special purposes etcetera,
are concern of for in for, for very importance
issues like communicating, will give better
communication in English, is concern. You
will have, you just need to go to the n p
t e l website, to find that there are a few
courses, at least a couple of courses, give
which
address these very important needs in students.
So, this part we are leaving out from our
program, from our course.
Then we had also one, we had one, devoted
one lecture to world Englishes, and we found
that we will talked about world Englishes,
there are it is not just a matter of you know,
accepting the fact, that they are different
variance of English all over the world. The
idea of Queen’s English or a Standard English,
which was so as we’ll find was so important.
As far as, say early modern English was concerned
in Britain, in this case really there is a
political need to recognize the existence
of several Englishes. So much, so that, we
do not use the word, world English of phrase
world English, we use the phrase world Englishes.
And here in this slide, let us look at the
slide, we found that, the whole issue of world
Englishes has to be addresses far as at least
six areas are concern, these areas are the
history of English in different parts, of
the you know in the different parts of the
world. And we have in fact, the last lecture
in the current module, is also takes a historical
look at English in India. So, we have also
the use of English Diasporas, then variations
of world Englishes, the phenomenon of acculturation
of English and to English, the issue of creativity,
and the changing of the language as far as
creative texts are concerned.
And finally and not the least most important
of them according to me is the question of
ideology, ideology means us you know the way,
you perceive the world. It is like; you
could say a set of lenses through which you
perceive the world. So, these are some of
the things we found, that world Englishes
is not just about a studying different variance
of English, but also their histories, their
ideologies etcetera. So, this is what we did
in lecture on world Englishes.
Then we found also that, there are other issues
as far as English studies goes, and these
are to do with the whole idea of you know
the issue of unity and communality among the
various world Englishes. And how different,
the different instances of you know, other
non native English speakers, in trying to
resist, what they feel is a sort of depersonalization
that occurs, with you know the, with an unproblematic
acceptance or embrace so to speak of English.
This is addressed also, by linguists with
a post-colonial orientation, they also talked
about, how for instance, you can look up the
Algerian activist Frantz Fanon for instance.
And a talk about what happens to language,
as far as you know, in this case is French,
as far as a blacks you know, emulating the
French language, when they go to France is
concerned fine. Then also reworking, how Englishes
or English or Englishes rework, the language
and also concurrently the whole project, entirely
different project of trying to restore, non-native
English speaking countries. Trying to restore
the various indigenous if I may use a word,
of vernacular again, if I may use a word,
languages in their respective countries. And
finally, also the whole question of modernity,
does
speaking English also mean modernity, does
it mean that we take it is concept, and does
it make it modern.
Now, these are really hugely again, I would
say contentious issues, many scholars have
many things to say about these but, we brought
this up in the last you know last lecture,
last module, just to give you an idea of how
many things, how many problematic things come
into our discussion of world Englishes. Then
we all, we had one lecture on the rise of
the cultures studies in the study of English
language and literature, and the study of
English studies.
And then, we refer to a quotation from the
cultural studies, the well known cultural
studies scholar Chris Barker. And let us look
at this slide here, Barker in his book, making
sense of cultural studies, has this to say,
that the machinery and operations of language.
The machinery and operations of language are
central concerns, and problems for cultural
studies. Indeed the investigation of culture
has often been regarded as virtually interchangeable,
with the exploration of meaning produced symbolically
through signifying systems that work, like
a language.
Now, the as you saw in the last module, I
think the rise of cultural studies was the
last lecture in that module. So, how looking
at entire cultures, as systems that from where
meanings are, meanings emanate, how we also
read cultures like languages, do you understand.
So, if one language you know has certain symbols
in which, which you
arrange in certain ways, cultures are also
seen as symbolically constituted, as if they
were language, so we also looked at this part,
you know or this aspect new, relatively new
aspect of the rise of cultures studies as
far as, English studies is concerned.
Then we also talked about discourses, how
this you know, for languages are not just
English, languages are in general they are
discourses. Languages are discourses in the
sense that they are objects; they are structures
systems within, which your utterances are
valid or invalid. Languages are also ideological
systems, and languages are texts, this is
what we found in our, again in our lecture,
the lecture on the rise of cultures studies
fine. So, today’s lecture is like an overview
of what we are going to do in the next 5,
4 or 5 lectures.
So, it is an overview of this module, it is
entitled,the introduction to the history,
of the English language, and I will run you
through some of the major things that we are
going to talk about in the history, you know
in the various historical period as far as
English language is concerned. Ending with
English in India, but at I would like to say
make one thing clear at this point, and which
is that, you know it is impossible to talk
about everything, regarding the history of
a language you know, when they packed into
just a couple of lectures.
So, I urge those of you who may be interested,
in any one phase or interested in any one
aspect, to go and look up some of the books,
that we shall be
mentioning in you know, during our lectures.
Here essentially, what my approach would be
is to relate you know, first is to tell you
let you know about certain changes in the
English language, it is a very basic. And
then to show you how, changes in language
do not happen in the vacuum, they do not occur
in a vacuum.
There are definite social, economic and political
cultural factors, which determine or at least
which influence, changes in the language.
And also may you know language changes, those
changes again sort of you know, in some sort
of a feedback loop, again change you know,
influencing the social, cultural, economic
movements of societies. This is one of the
things that I will try and bring to you, because
it is very important for us, and we called
this method more or less a diachronic method.
Diachronic means chrono is time, so overtime,
so this is overtime, how you know, a particular
language has change. So, please remember,
there as I said there are many way different
ways in which, you can teach or you can learn
about the history of the English language,
and I also urge to go through there are many
other, you know such presentation on you tube,
there are many estimable files available on
the net.
So, you want to you know enrich yourself after
having been through these basic lectures.
So, English is as we saw, I think in one,
in a lecture 1 on the introducing the English
language per se, I think was in volume, in
module 1, I think there was a lecture on,
yes the English language, this is module 1
lecture 3. You could go back to that, and
then as try and connects that lecture from
you know, the first module 2 to all the lectures
in this module.
So, there we have found look at this slide
here, that English belongs to the indo- European
family or languages, it belongs particularly
to it is come from the Anglo Frisian dialects,
it comes finally, towards from west Germanic.
So, this is we first you place you know English,
we do not have English as we have it, in the
modern form today we did not have English,
in the history of English.
We know that we did not have English, in the
form that we have today, today’s English
is modern English; it is many would say global
English. So, we will see how, English develops,
belongs to certain family of languages, and
the reasons why, and will begin with period
old English, so just quickly about again the
status of English.
English is a official language in 51 countries,
according to sources, and substantial native
English speakers are found 104 countries,
it is a third most spoken language, and there
are more than 600 million people, who use
English as a second or as a third language.
So, we talked about the proliferation of English
over the globe, and we just provided some
statistics in our lecture on English language
in last module.
So, again as always let’s declare the text
from, where we shall be taking our points
and these are A C Baugh’s history of the
English language. Charles Barber the English
language, a historical introduction, in Indranee
Ghosh edited volume history of English language,
a critical companion. Now, it is not necessary
that these are, the only texts that you need
to consult, you can always have different
sets of books, but I thought that it was important
for us to kind of zooming on the few texts.
So, as to have some sort of a guide and also
as you know, some sort of a reference, instead
of bringing points from all various mean books
or one point from a single book and have you
know, it is always better for us to seek to
limited number of books, when we talked about.
Of course, time and again I shall be referring
to other texts, and I should mention the names
and authors of those text.
As always, I shall also have, you know occasion
when I shall, occasion to read extracts, sometime
maybe long extracts from certain text. And
in that as far as academic, ethics goes I
shall every time declare, that I am reading
from this particular source. So, English when
we look at the history of the English language,
we need to divide the history of English into
3 or 4 major giving major periods of the language.
And the first period is known as old English,
which came about you know which is the language
that came about, after and you can say because
of, the conquest of England by marauding tribes,
these tribes are known as the angles, the
Saxons and the jutes.
Now these are the places, where they came
from, the jutes came from Jutland Saxons from
Holstein, angles from Schleswig. And finally,
the name English can be if we look at this
slide, the name English comes from the name
of one of the tribes, known as the angles.
Now, from angles we have the name Englaland
Engle and finally, Englisc. So, these were
the oldest spellings and finally, we had the
word or term English.
So, they were remember, they were the old
English period is inaugurated, by the 3 marauding
tribes that came from various parts of you
know, of Europe from and settled in England,
replacing the older language, pushing the
older language into areas like Cornwall, Wales
and Scotland right. Now more details are to
be found in next lecture in this module, which
is on old English.
Now, the characteristic of old English, one
of the first things that you note, is a spelling
and pronunciation of old English, pronunciation
of old English words differs from that of
the; obviously, from their modern equivalents.
Again I would urge you, may be to go to you
know, Google images or go to various sites
on the net or even if you get these on books,
in books. To see, how the, of copyright reasons,
I have not brought those images here, but
you can, you know any texts Beowulf for instance.
It is going to you have an idea of how different
the pronunciation and spelling, was even some
of the letters, as far as old English, the
difference between old English and modern
English is concerned. Now, there was absence
from words derived from Latin or French largely,
and the grammar is different, the old English
is synthetic, but modern English is an analytic
language, more about this in our next lecture.
Now the distinction; of course of number,
of singular plural and case, so grammatical
gender was not dependent upon consideration
of sex, very important. For example, a mona
moon is masculine; a maegden girl; wif that
is wife; and cild that is child are neuter.
We understand woman in modern English as being
a feminine gender, but there was a great difference
when you compare modern English and old English,
in terms of grammar and particularly in terms
of grammatical gender.
Then the two very important texts in old English
are a Beowulf, which is a folk epic. And the
seafarer, which is a monologue, and as Baugh,
A C Baugh’s one of this you know source
text here, remarks the literature of the Anglo
Saxons is fortunately one of the richest,
and most significant of any preserved among
the early Teutons. Beowulf now is available
has been available for a long time. So, again
those of you are interested may, want to have
a look at the kind of writing and language
we find there. Even though; obviously, it
will be very difficult for you to understand
the language or that version of English, unless
you are trained to read that.
You also have transitions and books on the
king Alfred, then we have the tragedy the
wanderer, war poems and you know for instance.
Anglo Saxons literature is considered to be
one of among the richer phases of English.
So, next in this journey of you know the history
of English language, we move on to another
phase, which is known as Middle English. I
mean move, we have moved from old English
to Middle English, which is generally considered
to be, even though are slight differences
in date, regarding scholars, these usually
understood to be within 1150 to 1500. So,
Middle English really had different dialects
by the time, you can imagine the Anglo Saxons
was language, English as in through Anglo
Saxons was establish, and now there grew to
be different dialects. So, by the time, it
is Middle English, that is from 1150 onwards.
We find that there are at least four major
dialects here, and these are the northern
dialect going by their geographical areas,
the northern dialect; the east midland dialect;
west midland dialect and southern dialect.
We’ll find later on that east midland begins
to get grain more prominence you know, in
another say a 100 years.
Now, again we will let us go from Charles
Barber, read from an extract from Charles
Barber whose texts on the history of English
language is another text with us. He talks
about the Norman conquest which marks the
beginning of Middle English, Norman French
conquest, for which this is one date from
which we can, you know we can mark a separate
two periods in the history of English language.
He says old English, now again you see whenever
we demarcate historical periods, it is it
would be sort of naive on our part to think
that, historical periods are watertight, that
when we say end of old English with the coming
out the Norman French, that old English completely
disappears.
And you know is replaced by Middle English,
it is not so; obviously, there are percolations,
there are remnants, even as in an earlier
age, there maybe you know, some hints of glimmerings
of a new language or new variant of a language,
emerging. So, let us read what Charles Barber
says, Charles Barber is one of you know pioneering
again with A C Baugh, one of the pioneering
figures in this in the study of English, the
history of the English language. Now this
is what he has to say, let us look at this
slide, old English did not disappear overnight
at the Norman Conquest, nor did it immediately
stop
being written, for the West Saxon literary
tradition was continued for a time in some
of the great monasteries.
But, in the years following the conquest,
changes which had already begun to show themselves
in pre conquest, this is exactly what I said
he, the glimmerings of changes may be seen,
may have been seen. Even before in age is
said to have, you know followed by another
one. He says let us look at this slide, but
in the years following the conquest, changes
which had already begun to show themselves
in pre conquest old English, continued at
an increased speed, and in less than a century,
we can say that the old English period is
over, and the Middle English has begun.
The point is then we read history, not necessarily
the history of a language, when we read any
kind of history, it is important for us to
realize that, there are transitional periods,
these transitional periods are as important,
as the so called main you know, chief full
bloom periods with you know, where we have,
in with the language shows a different qualities
and to speak. These transitional periods are
also important, and need to be taken into
consideration; each period in history has
elements from the older period, and elements
from the newer period, which formed these
important transitional phases.
Now, the Norman, following the Norman Conquest,
Middle English period is you know also considered
to be a period of great change of great importance.
And there was a
continuation as we saw, the tendencies are
begun to manifest themselves in old English.
And the most one of the most important points
here really, I would say was in terms of vocabulary.
And the attempt for rise of a Standard English,
see the dates, what were dates, are dates
to 1150 to 1500, this just the beginning of
the 16th century. Now, before you know, the
end of Middle English, we find tendency for
the rise of Standard English of a certain
Standard of English, before this you remember
there were dialects; we talked about northern
dialect, east midland dialect etcetera. Now,
there were different dialects, but there was
a time came, when there was, we see the phenomenon
of the rise of a Standard English.
Now, let us read from, I think this is a Baugh,
by the end of the 14th century a language
emerged in the written form that varied with
the local dialects. This was recognized as
the Standard language both in speech and writing
and was called London English or East midland
dialect. Geographically, it occupied a Middle
region owing to it is name; this region was
also the largest and most populous and a prosperous
district in the country. We have to understand
this was really the, beginning of mercantile
capitalism, this was you know by the Centrade,
trade and mercantilism, these were some of
the very important cultural attributes of
the time.
So, because of that, also you need a Standard
English for people, to have agreements for
people to, you know talk about trade people,
for people to you know to agree on so many
aspects as far as business was concern, do
you understand. And also as a reading public
grew, we will see with the coming of the printing
press in England, then many factors and find
this in the lecture on early modern English,
how you know the several factors like this
spread of popular education etcetera, which
came and gave rise to a Standard English.
Now, the importance of London English as Baugh
says here, was that by far the most influential
factor in the rise of Standard English, was
the importance of London as the capital of
England. London English took as well as gave;
it began as a southern and ended as a midland
dialect. The London Standard had been accepted
in most parts of the country in writing in
the latter part of the 15th century. So, this
is again another important phenomenon in Middle
English period, of the English language.
Then however, Baugh also cautions us you know
he says for instance, that is we read from
his text. It would be a mistake to think that
complete uniformity was attained, within the
space of a few generations, even though there
was the rise of Standard English. Even in
matters of vocabulary, dialectical differences
have persisted in cultivated speech, down
to the present day, and they were no less
noticeable in the period during, which London
English was gaining general acceptance.
So, it is a rise of Standard English, is a
or rise of a Standard form in any language;
obviously, is a discernible phenomenon, but
any scholar of the history of English language,
would also readily agreed, that this you know
this, so called Standard, was there All right.
But there were also many other variance that
were, that continued to be spoken by the people,
in which Baugh, he says even to the present
day. We have you know, in fact today, it is
said that we you know, see the b b c Englishes,
you know, the b b c English was able to really
in the modern times, standardize because that’s
the English everybody was listening to, when
there was a radio.
So, everybody would listen to a certain variant
or certain kind, if I may use a word certain
kind of English. And then they would also
be encouraged, to feel encourage, because
it was a Standard quote unquote Standard,
it was the broadcasted language. So, people
would begin to learn those words, learning
in how to speak learn, what kind of things
avoid, learn also you know the words, get
their repertoire of in of words growing.
So, there was brought again as I said, if
you look at the cultural changes, sociohistorical
changes you will find, that the media also
is a means of standardization of standardizing
thing. And this also happens in the modern
times, we find that says the b b c was a instrumental
willingly of giving rise to a Standard version
of English, do you follow.
Now, we will slowly find that there are now
changing conditions, up to the modern period,
and here we find that in the early modern,
which is next historical period?
We find these factors, the coming of the printing
press, and popular education with increased
communication and increased social consciousness.
Now, these are all related, I mean I want
you to look at this very carefully, see here
is a technological matter. Let us call this
a material technological fact, the coming
in of the printing press, now what happens
when there is a printing press? When there
is a printing press, the you know reading
material a text which were hitherto in manuscript
form and very limited maybe just a few copies
to copying from the main manuscript.
This change the entire this scenario was completely
changed. So, you could have say as A C Baugh
says you could have a hundred thousand books,
published by the printing press, which was
available to more than a hundred thousand
people, with the growing of lending libraries
for instance or personal lending. We people
could actually get copies and read them. Now,
what happens this also gives an impetus to
popular education, the availability of text,
why not the rise of school of course, this
is the thing that we have come to your mind.
The rise in the number of schools, the rise
in popular education, people reading not for
you know for any specialization purposes,
but people reading you know, reading text,
reading poetry for instance, reading prose
for instance, for even for just leisure and
pleasure. So, the printing press therefore
made available, books in you know in the English
language, which would then establish the language
in a way, it was never established before.
Now, see in the, if the modern counterpart
was the b b c, even after that if the counterpart
is saying the internet. During the transition
from Middle English to early modern English,
the early modern English which is the next
period in our, you know, division of the way
we have divided, generally divided. The history
of English language will find that, this is
a very important phenomenon. So, technological
phenomenon leads to a cultural phenomenon,
which is a growth of popular education, it
increases communication. And finally, it gives
makes an impact or it has an impact on social
consciousness in general.
Ideas now, ideas now come to be shared by
people, the social consciousness is changed,
the, you know the general knowledge atmosphere
has change. Even I would say that general
ideological atmosphere changes, because it
also matter, what kind of books are
published? Do you follow? What kinds of texts
are chosen to be published, that also leads
to a change in the social consciousness of
people. So, remember this is an extremely
important time, as far as the English language
is concern, and as we say, as we found that
there was a rise or you know of a standard
form of English.
Finally, zooming into the east midland dialect
that was there among the four dialects, it
was important that London slowly we came to
be you know the capital and the business capital,
business centre. And there was a need; there
was a need also by the tradesman class, by
the mercantile class for of a further for
more education, do you understand? So, these
are you see some of the social technological,
historical, political changes that also lead,
determine the course of a language.
Now, Baugh again, A C Baugh mentions this
year, he says the majority of the texts, it
is true were in Latin, whereas, it is in the
modern languages that the effect of the printing
press was chiefly to be felt. In England over
20000 titles in English had appeared by 1640
that is a Middle of the 17th century. The
result was what, this is all was to bring
in to bring books, which had formerly been
the expensive luxury of the few, within the
reach of all. So, there was a sort of use
a word democratization of the reading, the
really accessibility of the accessibility
of books of reading or say that democratization
of the reading opportunity.
So, there is A C Baugh says, the result was
to bring books, which had formerly been the
expensive luxury of the few, within the reach
of all. It was possible to reproduce a book,
in a thousand copies or a hundred thousand,
everyone exactly like the other. A powerful
force thus existed for promoting a standard,
uniform language again. A Standard uniform
language is possible precisely because of
the availability of books in print, during
that particular period in history. Then we
will now move on to the next period, which
is a modern English, modern English really
is you know, divided into two parts, as is
early modern English and late modern English.
Now, many scholars call it, called the first
early modern English and the second day, do
not use a word late this simply called it
modern English. Modern English is again not
homogenous over time, the modern English that
was there say 200 years ago, is not the English
had we have today. Since language is extremely
dynamic and the English language in particular,
amongst modern languages is also a very dynamic
language, it has been able to give as well
as, take as it were. So, when we come to the
modern period is one thing that I would like
to highlight here, among other things.
And which is the enormous growth of vocabulary;
in as far as the modern times are concern.
And this enormous growth in vocabulary maybe
traced to, back to historically two important
sociohistorical factors. First is the industrial
revolution, the coming of industrial revolution
and the second is the growth of the British
Empire. So, we need to
talk about you know, the enormous sort of
impact, these two things had on the growth
of vocabulary. So the, we will end with the
modern period and also bit about you know,
about science etcetera. And let us first begin
with what happened? In you know, because of
these two historical events, series of events
which is the industrial revolution, and the
rise of the British Empire
So, these are the two point’s industrial
revolution and the empire.
So this, the growth of science from the 17th
century from Newtonian science, and the growth
of technology, during the industrial revolution
for instances spinning jenny, we are all acquainted
with this with form of social study classes,
spinning jenny then, the steam engine for
instance. They gave rise to new materials,
definitely new machines new means, and improved
means of transportation and communication,
and new systems of manufacture. Now, these
remember, these you will agree that these
are relatively very new things, you have materials
like never before, with coming of science
and technology in fall after with Newton,
the few some people also called the coming
of the modern age.
Machines, new kinds of machines, were there
which never existed before, new means and
improved means of transportation, and new
manufacturing industries, things were at least
that were not manufactured in the old artisan
industry or way of manufacturing things. So,
this necessitates the growth of vocabulary,
you needs, you need words, in order to name
at least name these things, and largely what
happened is The new words came you know there
was a sort of leaning, if I may use a word
leaning onto antiquity, onto roots etymologically
coming from Latin and Greek.
We know we all of you know are aware we have
also than learn this in our school, about
renaissance, a time of great learning of revival
in England, where the classics were you know,
there was a renewed interest, not only in
among literature scholars also among scientists.
Scientist too took a great interest in you
know, in antiquity in Latin and Greek texts,
not only, not for the science, precisely because
of the great literatures that came, from those
times.
So, as we see here, the new products for instance,
the new products machines and processes, the
new they were new words for instances like
train, engine, reservoir, pulley, combustion,
piston, hydraulic, condenser, electricity,
telephone, telegraph, lithograph, camera,
vacuum, cylinder, apparatus, pump, siphon,
locomotive, factory. Some of these, may also
have originated later you know in the new
world, in America, but the point is here,
this slide shows us the new products, new
machines will need new names. So, these are
some of the new additions to the vocabulary,
among thousands and thousands of words.
So, next we talk about modern English speak
cannot leave out the phenomenon of the growth
of the type of English, a variety of English
in America, in the new world. Now with the
coming of the Pilgrim Fathers in the 17th
century, we had slowly the rise of a variant
of English know as American English. So, American
English was a English that was established
in the new world, following the conquest of
the new world by the English.
So, for instance there were again native,
remember we had said that languages both take
and give. So, it is not that one part, you
know say one territory is conquered by some
other country and that the territory and quest
only takes, but they the concurring country,
also takes in words from the country they
have annexed or conquered.
So, we have from the native Americans, we
have words for instances of animals like raccoon,
opossum, moose, chipmunk, skunk and also for
instance tomato, the word tomato is of native
American, origin it was taken into the English
language.
There was as we find in this interesting quotation
from Thomas Jefferson in 1813 there was the
new, he says the new circumstances under which
we are placed, call for new words, new phrases,
and for the transfer of old words to new objects.
And then he says an American dialect will
therefore be formed, he; obviously, does not
called it American language, he calls it an
American dialect.
Though a most important figure in overview
of you know in the English language, history
of English language here, we cannot do without
is Noah Webster as far as
American English concerned. Webster as you
are, you all of you familiar with the fact
there is a Webster’s dictionary of English,
of the English language. And Webster said,
so there was through Webster, the attempt
in a successful one of pruning words. There
aren’t new words, but these are words from
the mother countries, so to speak.
That are pruned, simply because letters are
not seem to be necessary here, and all of
you are you know familiar with this for instance
theater, for t h e a t r e we have theater,
and instead of center from the whole c e n
t r e, we have c e n t e r color, honor, traveler,
jeweler, check instead of c h e q u e we have
check in same for mask, plow p l o w for p
l o u g h. So, there was among other things
Noah Webster tried to prune the, you know
the existing English words, and to make them,
most streamlined as he thought them to be.
Therefore, English in the scientific age,
if we say the modern age is a scientific age,
English in the scientific age, therefore sees
certain standardization and codification.
For instance, there was, there is also the
variant of public school English, there was
a new scientific the vocabulary, changes in
pronunciation, the influence of scientific
writing, new words for you know that were
necessary for the scientific enterprise.
You know way in which it far a sort of you
know, went far beyond in number, you know
than the previous systems of use of words
in the scientific domain was concern. So,
science was a very important factor as I said,
science and empire, science and technology
industrial revolution and empire, these are
the important social historical factors.
Today we find that culture industries, English
is also, determine the kind of English we
use today, and the new words for instance,
new usages that come to us, also come from
the press, from advertising, from communication
industries, transport and communication, from
broadcasting. We gave the example of the b
b c, of from broadcasting, from television;
you can name it from sobs, from documentaries,
from national geographic etcetera, from sound
recording and also motion pictures. These
are also; you know ways through which changes
in the language come in.
Then we will end here now, and there are some
of the things which we; obviously, could not
discuss here, and the especially from English
in India. So, let us leave it for, you know
the last a lecture in this course, we will
talk about it in detail. So the, see if you
ask a question like, what should the English,
the study of a, the whole study of, history
of say any language. Say particularly the
English language focus on, the one of the
ways, you will say that one of the ways to
focus is not on, is not to study, changes
this history means change, you look at the
history of something, because it is a dynamic
process.
Now, it is not just chronically, it is a historian
is different from a chronicler; a chronicler
will give you dates, so that is why here I
have not really, talked so much about dates
really, well chronicler will give you dates
and their events. But historian is going to
look at a far more holistic picture, of changes
say in the case of language, in relation to
that I said in the beginning, relation to
changes in technology, changes in science,
changes in society, changes in political processes,
do you follow. For instance empire as something
that we found was there, growth of the British
Empire was very important or had important
implications, for the English language.
So we, you say that, the grows development
and history of a languages needs to be seen
from historians point of view, not a chronicler’s
point of view. Second, say if you ask the
question like, what are the major phases of
English, the history of the English language.
And you will say that, they are four major
periods of the history of the English language,
namely old English, Middle English, remember
old English with the coming of the Anglo Saxons
and jutes, and Middle English after the Norman
conquest.
Then early modern English and modern English,
these are after that you can say safety that,
we talk about world Englishes, that is a more
in a horizontal, not in a linear fashion,
so more in a distributed horizontal fashion
of understanding varieties of English, do
you follow. Then another third question would
be on, how question like, how did a standard
form of English emanate. Then you would have
to talk about the London dialect, you talk
about the rise of the tradesman class, you
have to mention the printing press, for instances
spread of education, rise of popular education,
the rise of in the number schools for instance.
So, this is one of the first times, when there
was a standard rise of the definite Standard
English. And finally, we talked about modern
time, we talked about you know if you ask
the question like name two important events
or series of events, in modern English history,
that had great impact. On particularly, the
vocabulary of English of modern English, then
you need to mention, the two which are what,
the industrial revolution, and the growth
of the British Empire. And, I have not talk
so much about literature here, because we
talk about literature in the next module,
which will be dealt with by, in final lectures
by my colleague professor Krishna Barua, this
was largely or this was actually only on the
English language.
So, I have not very talked, I have not talked
about Chaucer, I have not talked about Shakespeare
here, I have not talked about Bernard Shaw
here for instance. So, I am because of paucity
of time, I am simply giving you a, you know
a collection of lectures on the history of
the English language, relating it to social,
cultural, political changes. Thank you so
much, we will meet in the next lecture, We’ll
begin to talk about old English in more detail.
Thank you.
