History of English

what are the three stages of Modern English?

• Early Modern English: c.1500-1800

• Late Modern English: c.1800-present

• Contemporary (Present-Day) English: today’s English

what characterises Early Modern English?

• period of major language development

• science, industry, and exploration accelerated language change

• discovery of new places introduced new vocabulary (lexis)

• English gradually developed into the language we recognise today

why was the printing press (Early Modern English) important?

• invented by Johann Gutenberg in the 1450s

• allowed books to be reproduced rapidly

• increased literacy

• encouraged standardisation of written English

• William Caxton introduced the printing press to England and helped spread Standard English

what was the Great Vowel Shift (Early Modern English)?

• a major change in the pronunciation of English long vowels

• occurred roughly during the 15th-18th centuries

• pronunciation changed while spelling became standardised

• explains why many English words are not pronounced as they are spelt

• had lasting effects on English phonology and ortography

how did William Tyndale (Early Modern English) contribute to language change?

• produced the first English Bible translated directly from Hebrew and Greek

• helped establish English as a prestigious written language

how did William Shakespeare (Early Modern English) contribute to language change?

• documented or introduced around 1700 words

• created words by:

  • combining words

  • converting nouns into verbs

  • adding prefixes and suffixes

• helped increase the prestige of English literature

what characterises Late Modern English?

• pronunciation, grammar, and spelling remained relatively stable

• vocabulary expanded rapidly

• main causes:

  • Industrial Revolution

  • British Empire

how did the Industrial Revolution (Late Modern English) affect English?

• created new scientific and technological vocabulary

• new inventions required new words

• greatly expanded English lexis

how did the British Empire (Late Modern English) affect English?

• English spread across the world

• borrowed words from many languages

• developed new regional varieties (‘New Englishes’)

• helped establish English as a global language

what characterises Contemporary English?

• English continues to change rapidly

• influenced by:

  • technology

  • the internet

  • social media

  • globalisation

• constant creation of neologisms

• vocabulary expands rapidly to reflect new ideas and technologies

what are the key milestones in the development of English

1. printing press: standardisation and literacy

2. Great Vowel Shift: pronunciation changes

3. Tyndale and Shakespeare: prestige and vocabulary expansion

4. Industrial Revolution: scientific and technological lexis

5. British Empire: borrowing and global spread

6. Contemporary English: technology, globalisation, and continual lexical innovation