Normalizing Tendencies

Establishment of the Written Standard

Economic and Political Unification. Conditions for Linguistic Unity.

New English Period.

Lecture 8

Plan of the lecture.

1. Economic and Political Unification. Conditions for Linguistic Unity.

2. Progress of Culture. Introduction of Printing.

3. Establishment of the Written Standard.

4. Normalizing Tendencies.

5. New English Vocabulary.

The formation of the national literary English language covers the Early NE period (1475-1660). There were at least two major external factors which favoured the rise of the national language:

- the unification of the country;

- the progress of culture.

Economic and social changes were accompanied by political unification in the late 15th c. England became a centralized state. Economic and political unification played a decisive role in the development of the English language. The rise of capitalism helped to knit together the people and to unify their language. Economic and political unification played a decisive role in the development of the English language. The rise of capitalism helped to knit together the people and to unify their language.

2. Progress of Culture. Introduction of Printing

Of all the outstanding achievements of this great age, the invention of printing had the most immediate effect on the development of the language, especially its written form. Printing was invented in Germany in the mid-15th c.; the first printer of English books was William Caxton. The first English book, printed in 1475, was Caxton’s translation of the story of Troy. This period is known as the “age of Shakespeare” or the English Literary Renaissance. The most notable forerunners of the literary Renaissance in the first half of the 16th c. were the great English humanist Thomas More (1478-1535) and William Tyndale. Towards the end of Early NE, one of the forms of the national literary language – its Written Standard – had been established. Its growth and recognition as the correct or “prestige” form of the language of writing had been predetermined by the factors described above.

The Written Standard of the 1 7thc. was far less stabilized and normalized. The writings of the Renaissance display a wide range of variability at all linguistic levels. Correct usage and protection of the language from corruption and change became the subject of great concern and numerous discussions. In 1664 the Royal Society appointed a special committee "for improving the English tongue".

The fixed structures of dead languages – Greek and Latin – made the neo-classicists regard all linguistic change as corruption that ought to be checked. The role of English grammars and dictionaries in the period of normalization was very significant.

The greatest achievement of the 18th c. English lexicography is certainly connected with the name of Dr. Samuel Johnson, who believed that the English language should be purified and corrected.

5. New English Vocabulary

Borrowings from classical languages:

In the 16th and 17th centuries Latin was the main language of philosophy and science. There were some borrowings from Greek: pertained to scientific terminology, theatre and literature.

Borrowings from contemporary languages:

The influx of French, Italian, Dutch, Spanish, German, Portuguese

and Russian words.

Borrowings from contemporary languages:

The influx of French, Italian, Dutch, Spanish, German, Portuguese

and Russian words.

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