English Language (Old English Through Modern English).pptx

This PowerPoint is about how the English language has changed over time. It explains the three main stages, Old English, Middle English, and Modern English; and what influenced each one, like the Norman invasion, Christianity, and the Great Vowel Shift. It also talks about Beowulf as an example of Old English writing, describing how it uses alliteration and focuses on heroic values.

1. Changes to English Language Old English - (Used by Anglo-Saxons) There were four known dialects of the Old English language: Northumbrian in northern England and southeastern Scotland, Mercian in central England, Kentish in southeastern England, West Saxon in southern and southwestern England. Spoken from about 500 AD - 1100 AD (ended with Norman Invasion in 1066) Germanic dialects

2. Middle English (1100 - 1500) The Normans (Viking settlers from Scandinavia who had settled in France) conquered the Anglo-Saxons in 1066. The language of the ruling class in England became French after the Norman Conquest. Old English is replaced by Middle English. The language is also influenced by Latin as a result of the rise of Christianity. (Chaucer)

3. Modern English (1500-Present) Great Vowel Shift in about 1550 King James Bible Literacy Shakespeare

4. Notes on Beowulf This poem is an Old English or Anglo-Saxon epic written in alliterative verse. Epic First, two characteristics of the epic are that it embodies the values of a civilization, and it celebrates the exploits of a tribe while focusing on a central heroic character. However, Beowulf differs from the Greek and Roman epics in important ways: Even though the hero dies at the end, the poem cannot be considered a tragedy in the same sense as Hamlet or Oedipus the King. The main character, Beowulf, does not have a tragic flaw that finally dooms him to death or failure. Alliterative Verse Second, alliteration is "the use of several nearby words or stressed syllables beginning with the same consonant". Alliteration was widely used in the Germanic epic and in Middle English poetry before end rhyme gradually took its place. Here’s an older translation of the beginning: Lo, p raise of the p rowess of p eople-kings of s pear-armed D anes, in d ays long s ped, w e h ave h eard, and w hat h onor the athelings w on! Oft Sc yld the Sc efing f rom squ adroned f oes, from m any a t ribe, the m ead-bench t ore, aw ing the ea rls. Since er st he lay f riendless, a f oundling, f ate repaid him: for h e w axed under w elkin, in w ealth h e throve, till b efore him the f olk, b oth f ar and near, wh o h ouse by the wh ale-path, h eard his mandate, g ave h im g ifts: a g ood king h e!