Rajarata
University of Sri Lanka
Department of Languages
Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities
Online Lectures
Year and Semester
|
Year-3 Semester-1
|
Subject
|
History of English Language
|
Subject Code
|
ENGL 3112
|
Course Unit
|
Late Modern English
|
Date
|
04.06.2020
|
Time
|
Theory (9.00 am-11.00 am)
Practical (2.30 pm-4.30 pm)
|
Lecturer
|
D.N. Aloysius
|
Theory Hours
|
02
Total No of Hours: 20
|
Practical Hours
|
02
Total No of Hours: 20
|
Late Modern English (1800 – Present)
Although the pronunciation and
grammar of Early Modern English continued into the late modern age,
the vocabulary of English grew considerably, leading to the
creation of Late Modern English. The main changes in vocabulary during the Late
Modern period were due to the industrial revolution, scientific advancements
and colonialism.
Expansion
of the British Empire
More new words seeped into the
English language after the year 1700. This is because the English language
started to spread all around the world due to the development of Britain’s new
colonies. As the British Empire grew, English words were absorbed into the
languages of the colonized countries, spreading the English language far and
wide. At the same time, the English language expanded to accommodate many new
foreign words within its vocabulary. For example, Late Modern English contains
many words borrowed from Hindi and other Indian languages, such as ‘pajamas’,
‘bungalow’ and ‘shampoo’. In fact, English contains some words from most other
languages: from the Finnish ‘sauna’, German ‘kindergarten’
and Japanese ‘tycoon’, to the Russian ‘balaclava’, Sanskrit ‘jungle’, Swahili
‘jumbo’ and West African ‘banana‘.
Although
Late Modern English includes words from many languages, the largest number of
words comes from French and
Latin.
Maritime Language
In connection with Britain’s
colonial explorations, the words and phrases of sailors were adopted into the
mainstream vocabulary of Late Modern English. Many English phrases come from
maritime roots, including: ‘three sheets to the wind’, ‘close quarters’, ‘the
bitter end’, ‘cut and run’, ‘hand over fist, ‘fathom out, ‘in the offing,
‘taken aback’, ‘high and dry’ and of course, ‘walk the plank’.
Industrial Revolution
Until the early 18th century, people
lived off the land and most people worked in agriculture. However, large
developments in technology between1760 and 1830 took Britain into an
industrial revolution.
The industrial revolution had
a strong impact on the English language with many new words coined from these
technological advancements. New words were invented to name new industrial
techniques, machinery, products and technology.
Some
words that entered the language around this time include: electricity, camera,
telegraph, pulley, train, engine, reservoir
and combustion.
New words also came about by using
old words together in new ways to create a new meaning. For example:
typewriter, horsepower, aero plane and railway all arrived in Late Modern
English.
Advancement of Science
In the 17th and 18th centuries, new
scientific discoveries meant that more new words had to be invented to describe
the new findings; many of the words of this industrial age were borrowed from
Latin and Greek. Words borrowed from French,
Latin or Spanish may
have been already borrowed at a previous time in English language history,
causing a new meaning and/or pronunciation to develop. For example, the word ‘chef’ and
the word ‘chief’ are both borrowed from French. ‘Chef’ was borrowed by Late
Modern English, whereas ‘chief’ came into the language during the time of Middle English. This is why the same root has resulted in
two distinct words with different meanings in English today.
Greek and Latin Roots
Many of the new words that came into
the English language during the scientific revolution have a Latin or Greek
root. For example: ‘oxygen’, ‘nuclear’ and ‘vaccine’. New words also came from
the field of medicine, such as ‘ambulance’, which has a French root but was
originally derived from Latin. We can see the influence of classical languages
on new vocabulary today used in the world of science and computers, including
‘byte’, ‘micro’ and ‘cyber’.
Military
and Language
Wartime
has always introduced many new words into the English vocabulary. In the Late Modern age, the First World War and Second World War added many new words and slang phrases, which were used originally by soldiers and came
straight from the trenches. The two World Wars introduced the words: ‘booby
trap’, ‘basket case’, ‘to be in a flap’, ‘zigzag’, ‘souvenir’, ‘browned off’,
‘gubbins’, ‘flak’, ‘fed up’, ‘dud’, ‘lousy’, ‘crummy’, ‘cushy’, ‘no man’s
land’, ‘dekko’ and ‘Blighty’ (both these last words are derived from
Hindi). Late Modern English also adopted other military-derived words that we
use today, including: ‘ambush’, ‘spearhead’, ‘melee’, ‘radar’, ‘siege’,
‘camouflage’ and ‘sortie’, along with the aeronautical-related terms ‘nose
dive’ and ‘landing strip’.
Practical:
Write only one.
1.
Write a brief introduction to Late Modern
English.
2.
Explain the varieties of Modern English.
3.
Write notes on the following.
a.
Sri Lankan English
b.
British English and American English
c.
Any other variety
References:
1.
Garner's Modern English Usage
2.
British or American English by John
Algeo
3.
American and British English:
Divided by a Common Language by Paul Baker
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