history of english language

WorldReferent(outside language)

Spoken Word/kæt/

(language sound)

Written Word“cat” or “c - a- t”

(transcription of language sound)

Anglo-Saxon Runic Futhorc Greek Alpha-Beta

consonants

• Hring (ring)• Hwīt (white)• Cneow (knee)• Gnawan (gnaw)• Wrītan (write)

I mutationAlteration of certain vowels by suffixes

Singular Plural

Foot Feet

Goose Geese

Mouse Mice

Tooth Teeth

Blood Bleed

Food Feed

Full Fill

Mann + iz (plural) = manniz = menniz = men

1066William the Conqueror

Battle of Hastings Normal Conquests

Influences of English Language

minim

i, j, m, n u, v

m, n develop connecting lines

I becomes i

J becomes j

reduction

1. Hlāf = loaf2. Weard = ward3. Hlāf-weard = keeper of the bread4. Hlāford5. Laverd6. Lord

. : ,

Great Vowel Shift

mi fayt ack; sue doe oars

mi fet ak sc do urz

mai fit ek so du aurz

my feet ache; so do ours

war and far

/a/ became rounded after /w/• warm, water, wall

/a/ > /e/ did not round• wager

silent e

1. mad

2. made

3. maddening

Other Factors

Factors Examples

Printing/technology gtg

Accent Pahk yahr cahr on Hahvahd Yahd

Borrowing Herb vs. herb

Regional Soda vs. pop

Time Internet

Trade/globalization Smorgasbord

At the moment becomes atmBe back soon becomes bbsBecause becomes cuz, bcuz, bcz, bcos, bc, cos,

coz or bcozBest friend or Boy friend becomes bf or b/fBest friend(s) for life becomes bfflBest friend(s) forever becomes bffBy the way becomes btwCan't be assed becomes cbaForever becomes 4eva or 4evrFor your information becomes fyiFriend becomes frendGot to go becomes g2g or gtgHave a nice day becomes H.A.N.D.Hold on becomes hld on or h/oHomework becomes hw, hwk or hmwkHow are you becomes hruI don't care becomes idcI don't know becomes idkI do what I want becomes idwiwI love you becomes ily, luv u, ilu, or luv yaIn my opinion becomes imo

In my humble opinion becomes imhoLaugh out loud becomes lolLots of love becomes lolLaughing quietly to myself becomes lqtmMessage (as in a text message) becomes msgNever mind becomes nm or nvm (depending on

context used)No problem becomes np"No thank you" becomes "nty" or "no ty"Obviously becomes ovvi or obvOf course becomes ov cors or ofcOh my god becomes omg or (comicly) zomgParents over shoulder becomes posPlease becomes plz or plezProbably becomes probz, prbly, prolly, or probLove becomes <3 or luvPeace becomes pce, pece, or \/ (V sign)Rolling on the floor laughing (out loud) becomes

rofl(ol)Something becomes sth, s/t, or sumthinSorry becomes sry, "soz", or "sori"