FM-AA-CIA-15 Rev.

0 10-July-2020

Study Guide in ELS 102 History of the English Language Module No. 2

STUDY GUIDE FOR MODULE NO. 2

THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE OF BRITAIN

MODULE OVERVIEW

Today learning English has never been easy, which is evident in English being the third most spoken
language in the world. Some consider it as mainly spoken by the working class and young people. It is
believed that it contains elements from a multitude of English forms, utilizing new linguistic forms as well
as styles of speaking. With new words and abbreviations brought about by the internet and social media, it will
be interesting to see what the English language will look like in years to come.

In this module, let us inform ourselves with the development of English specifically of Britain. This may
help you understand why English is a difficult language.

According to the British Council, there is little doubt that today the tongue can be considered the international
language of choice, a requisite for business, culture and political exchanges across the globe. So where did
it originate from? We investigate the extraordinary history and evolution of one of the world’s most widely-
spoken languages. (Signoriello, 2015)

MODULE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

1. Identify the different languages of Britain

2. Discuss the development of the British English Language
3. Differentiate the periods of the British English Language
4. Compare the different periods in the development of the British English Language
LEARNING ACTIVITY 1

LEARNING CONTENTS

THE DEVELOPMENT OF BRITISH ENGLISH LANGUAGE

The Beginning of Old English

It is said that the English language originated in 449 AD, with the arrival on the British Islands of
Germanic tribes — the Saxons, the Angles, and the Jutes — from what is now Denmark and Germany. Prior
to this arrival, the inhabitants of the British Isles are believed to have spoken ancient Celtic, a language
whose contemporary variations still exist in places around Britain (Welsh being the most obvious example).
After locals moved further north, Englisc, the language spoken by the Angle tribe, started to spread across
the south of Britain. It is around this time, c. 700-1000 AD, which Old English’s most important epic was
written: Beowulf. It is the longest poem in Old English, and famously narrates the story of the fights between
Beowulf and the bloodthirsty monsters Grendel, Grendel’s mother, and a dragon. (Signoriello, 2015)

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Study Guide in ELS 102 History of the English Language Module No. 2

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1

LEARNING ACTIVITY 1

Reading Activity
1. Read the development of British English from the beginning of Old English along with the
History of Anglo Saxons from pages 79-105 of the The Origins and Development of the
English Language 6th edition by J. Algeo.
.
2. Be able to take note and study their pronunciation, spelling, vocabulary, grammar and syntax

EARNING ACTIVITY 1

LEARNING CONTENTS

The Middle English Period: French and Latin Influences

The years 1150 to 1500 mark what is now known as the ‘Middle English’ period. In 1066, William the
Conqueror invaded from Normandy and brought with him French words that — over time — blended with the
existing Germanic language. Around 10,000 French words entered the English language throughout the
centuries after the Norman invasion. Although Englisc had expanded in Britain, it was back then only spoken
by the lower classes; as a result, a newer French-influenced version of the language took over as the
language of the court, administration, and culture. Most notably, The Canterbury Tales by Geoffrey Chaucer
and the first English cookery book — known as The Forme of Cury (The Form of the Cookery) — were both
written in Middle English, between 1300 and 1400 AD. The language nonetheless was still at a primitive
stage, to the point where a native speaker today would find it difficult to understand. (Signoriello, 2015)

Late Middle English: Stabilizing a Language

By around 1430, official documents once written in French started to appear in English. The English
language was emerging around its London dialect, known as the Chancery Standard. It was by the mid-
fifteenth century that the Chancery Standard started to be used for all official purposes — with the notable
exception of the Church (which continued to use Latin). Through the help of such persons as William Caxton
(who introduced the printing press to England in the 1470s) and Richard Pryson (the first English-language
publisher in the country) the language fully standardized to the Chancery Standard towards the end of the
15th century. This uniform language came to be accepted throughout England, with the first translation of
the bible appearing in 1535 and marking the beginning of Modern English. (Signoriello, 2015)

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Study Guide in ELS 102 History of the English Language Module No. 2

LEARNING ACTIVITY 2

Reading Activity

1. Point out the key events in the Middle English Period from pages 112-135 of the The
Origins and Development of the English Language 6th edition by J. Algeo.
2. Read and analyze the background of the Norman Conquest, the reascendency of
English, foreign influences in the vocabulary, spelling, pronunciation, grammar and word
order.

LEARNING CONTENTS

Early Modern English (Shakespearean)

Early Modern English formed during the late 15th century and continued through to the mid-to-late
17th century. As James I came to the throne in 1603 the English standard began to influence what was both
spoken and written in the UK, including Middle Scots in Scotland. The texts made around this period are
surprisingly understandable to readers today, although there are still stark differences with contemporary
English. Early Modern English is also known as Shakespearean English, thanks to it being the tongue of the
country’s most important writer. The 37 plays written by Shakespeare during this period had a great impact
on the English language. While the Bard has been widely recognized as an iconic writer for his creativity,
style and the complexity of his characters, he also created more than 1,500 words, many of which are
common expressions still used today. (Signoriello, 2015)

LEARNING ACTIVITY 3

Reading Activity

1. Read the transition from middle to Modern English and how great is the vowel and
consonant shift from pages 140-151 of the The Origins and Development of the
English Language 6th edition by J. Algeo.
Writing Activity
1. Write a short discussion in 150 words on the evidence of early modern English period.
Explain in two to three paragraphs your point to be submitted online. The digital
platform to be used in the submission will be announced.

Content (50%) - ideas developed through facts, examples and opinion

Organization (30%) - development of the paragraphs
Conventions (20%) - grammar, mechanics, spelling, usage and sentence
formation
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Study Guide in ELS 102 History of the English Language Module No. 2

LEARNING CONTENTS

Late Modern English

At the beginning of the 16th century, the British Empire started its process of expansion, reaching
its height between the 18th and 20th centuries. By the 19th century, the British Empire was going through an
era of significant change, which had a great impact on the language. The Industrial Revolution made the
English vocabulary vaster, introducing words to describe new technologies. The steam engine and the
consequent invention of new means of transportation, materials, and techniques, necessitated words and
ideas that had never been used before. A larger vocabulary was introduced, rather than new grammar or
spelling rules, allowing Late Modern English to differ only slightly from Early Modern English. Neologisms and
words derived from ancient languages, such as Latin or Greek, were completing the new technological and
scientific lexicon. Half of the Revolution’s research for new inventions between 1750 and 1900 was written in
English, thanks in part to the contribution of another English speaking country, the USA. In the meantime, the
British Empire’s immense size led to the meeting of English culture with those of its colonies, leading to
the adoption of words and expressions from those countries. (Signoriello, 2015)

LEARNING ACTIVITY 4

Reading Activity

1. Read and be able to identify the National Varieties of English, look for the
syntactical and morphological differences as well as with the differences in
pronunciation and spelling. Take note of the different world Englishes.

Concept Mapping (Complex level) of the development of the British English Language

This will be graded according to content, links and layout with the following points:
10 points – very few concepts are accurate and well linked
15 points – some concepts are accurate and are well linked
30 points – concepts reflected are accurate and well linked and easy to
understand

LEARNING CONTENTS (title of the subsection)

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Study Guide in ELS 102 History of the English Language Module No. 2

SUMMARY

In this module, we have learned that English language was first developed in Britain. Four different
periods of development were presented and given emphasis, these are the following: The Old English Period;
The Middle English Period; The Early Modern English Period and the Late Modern English Period.

The English Language developed from its pronunciation, spelling, vocabulary, grammar and syntax. It
was then greatly influenced by the Britain’s historical and cultural growth from the Anglo-Saxons and the
Normans to its expansion as World English.

REFERENCES

Algeo, John, Carmen Acevedo Butcher and Thomas Pyles. 2010. The Origins and Development of the
English Language. 6th ed. United States: Cengage Learning. Retrieved from:

https://www.amazon.com/Workbook-Problems-Butchers-Development
Language/dp/1133957544/ref=dp_ob_title_bk

Signoriello, Federica. The Development of the British English Language. 2015 Retrived from:
https://theculturetrip.com/europe/united-kingdom/articles/the-development-of-the-british-english-language/

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