Language Change - Timeline

Question 1

Old English

Answer 1

Old Norse (Vikings) had a major impact on English.

Question 2

Middle English

Answer 2

Norman invasion in 11th century - Introduction of French has impact on spelling.
Followed by a feudal system.

Question 3

15th Century decline of feudal system.

Answer 3

The invention of the printing press in England - William Caxton 1476 - start of standardisation.

Question 4

The Great Vowel Shift

Answer 4

Mid 14th Century -> Mid 18th Century
Continuation of standardisatiom.

Question 5

Early Modern

Answer 5

• Inkhorn Controversy (1553-1599)
• Shakespeare (1564-1616)
• The Bible (1604-1611)
• Swifts proposal for a language academy (1712)
• Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary (1755)
• Grammar studied seriously for the first time, which lead to the rise of the grammarians = prescriptivism.

Question 6

Modern English

Answer 6

• Continued into the 19th Century.
• Industrial Revolution = emergence of a middle class. Punctuation and grammar guides published - advising new members of the group of ‘correct’ language.
• Elementary Education Act 1870 = compulsory education for all children ages 5 to 12; thus literacy greatly improved.
• Spelling reform = Webster’s dictionary 1832. American spelling.

Question 7

Present day, 1900 onwards-

Answer 7

• Increased contact with a worldwide community. E.g. the 20th century - two world wars, both exposed the language to contact with countries from around the world.
• Post-war affluence has led to a rise in travel, and increased contact with others, resulting in extensive borrowing.
• The rise of technology has resulted in communication on a global scale.
• The 1950s saw the emergence of the teenager, prior to this children often left school at 14 and went straight into trade.
• Rise of the ‘youth culture’.