Old English Language: Origins and Evolution
Examination A
1. Say whether it is true or false.
- Old English was an analytical language. =) F
- English was the original language of the British Isles. =) F
- In Old English, there were no marks for case and gender. =) F
- Old English is the result of the combination of Angle, Saxon, and Celtic languages. =) F
2. Explain the influence of Christianity on Old English.
It started in 597 in the Kingdom of Kent. King Ethelbert accepted the Christian religion and built a small chapel known as “Kent-wara-byrig” (Canterbury), which turned into the main religious center for English people.
This period became a religious and cultural “renaissance” due to the Benedictine Reformation and arose a great interest in theoretical, philosophical, and historical works, written in Latin.
It had a great influence on language:
- Anglo-Saxon language picked up numerous Latin words related to the church and religion: apostle, cell, cloister, creed.
- Christian ideas were introduced into Anglo-Saxon texts.
- Christian stories were told with Anglo-Saxon words for didactic purposes.
- Usage of the Latin alphabet instead of the Germanic runes.
3. What’s the origin of suffixes like “-by” or “-son” in many Old English terms?
These come from the Scandinavian invasions from 787.
The influence of their language on Old English was very relevant since they were both Germanic languages:
- Over 600 names of towns and cities contain the suffix -by.
- Names of people ending in -son.
4. Explain the origin of the following forms: this, that, us, you.
“This” came from the singular neuter nominative and accusative of the demonstrative pronoun “þis”
“That” singular neuter, nominative of the demonstrative pronoun “þaet”
“Us” came from the plural accusative and dative of the first-person pronoun “ūs”
“You” came from the nominative singular “þū”
5. Explain the main features of the island writing.
The English alphabet is Latin and it was introduced into English by Irish missionaries. Most Old English texts are written in this alphabet instead of the Germanic runes. It shows off several features:
– Two Germanic runes: þ for representing [θ] [ð]; ƿ for [w].
– Some specific forms for letters of the Latin alphabet: ð alongside þ and ζ Irish version of Latin g. The grapheme ζ represented several phonemes:
- [g] in ζast
- [j] in ζear
- [w] in draζen
- [x] in taζte, this grapheme will be replaced by “gh”.
– The double grapheme Œ æ also present in Latin.
– The grapheme “f” in Old English represented both the voiceless /f/ and voiced /v/.
– The grapheme “h” represented /X/ and /f/.
6. Explain the phonological evolution.
- PE *feld > OE field Lengthening of vowel.
- PE *stapjan > OE steppan Duplication of consonant between brief vowel and yod.
- PE *brenan > byrnan
- OE elnbonga > elboga Simplification of consonant; drop of consonant in cluster like “n” in three-consonant group.
7. Explain the irregular plural form of “Child”, “Man” and “Mouse”
- Man / men (mann / menn) The sound /a/ is palatalized into /e/ due to metaphony.
- Child / Children (ċild) Double plural. Plural is expressed by –en.
- Mouse / Mice (mūsiz / mys) The sound /u:/ is palatalized due to the influence of the “i” element in the following syllable “i” umlaut, sound /u:/ turns to /i:/.
8. What are the main features of past-present verbs in Old English? Provide Examples.
It is a past form with present meaning and new weak forms in the past.
They are the basis of the modal verbs. They expressed the present with a past form. That is why they developed a secondary past.
- Witan; has the same origin as the root vid-. In Romance languages, the same traces have been remained as Wise” or “witness.
- Dugan; no traces.
- Cunnan; origin of “can” and “could”.
- Present: cann and can ; Past: Cüþe and could.
- Swlan; origin of shall and should. Present: sceal and shall. Past: sceolde and should.