Language and people, BRITISH Country & Civilization Study

Nguyen Thi Thanh Thanh M.A.
Reup

1. BRITISH Country & Civilization Study Nguyen thi thanh thanh , m.a. Lecturer of university of foreign language studies, the university of danang

2. PEOPLE AND LANGUAGE Nguyen thi thanh thanh , m.a. Lecturer, university of foreign language studies University of danang

3. WHO ARE THE BRITISH?   Why British not English ? English = British? England = Britain/ the UK???

4. WHO ARE THE BRITISH? NOT ENGLISH BRITISH Scotland Wales Northern Ireland JUST ENGLAND IS BOTH ENGLISH AND BRITISH

5. So, what is the difference ? between the names ‘ Great Britain ’ and ‘ the United Kingdom ”- and what about ‘ the British Isles ’? The United Kingdom = the United Kingdom of Great Britain (England, Scotland, Wales) + Northern Ireland The British Isles is the geographical name that refers to all the islands off the north west coast of the European continent: Great Britain, the whole of Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man. WHO ARE THE BRITISH?

6. Invasion What makes the Scottish, Welsh, English and Northern Irish different from each other? About 2,000 years ago the British Isles were inhabited by the Celts who originally came from continental Europe. During the next 1,000 years there were many invasions. The Romans came from Italy in AD 43 and, in calling the country ‘Britannia’, gave Britain its name. T The Angles and Saxons came from Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands in the 5 th century, and England gets its name from this invasion (Angle-land). The Vikings arrived from Denmark and Norway throughout the 9 th century, and in 1066 (the one date in history which every British school-child knows) the Normans invaded from France. These invasions drove the Celts into what is now Wales and Scotland, and they remained, of course, in Ireland. The English, on the other hand, are the descendants of all the invaders, but are Anglo-Saxon than anything else. These various origins explain many of the differences to be found between England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland - differences in education, religion and the legal systems, but most obviously, in language.

7. Language Scottish Gaelic and Irish Gaelic are still spoken now and officially encouraged and taught in schools. English developed from Anglo-Saxon and is a Germanic language However, all the invading peoples, particularly the Norman French, influenced the English language  Some still have French origin . Nowadays all Welsh, Scottish and Irish people speak English but all the countries have their own special accents and dialects .

8. Multiracial Britain Recently , there have been many waves of immigration into Britain and movement within the UK. For example, many people from Wales, Scotland and Ireland; Jews , Russians, Germans, and Poles have come to Britain (particularly London ) Commonwealth citizens were allowed free entry into Britain until 1962. Before the World War II, these immigrants were mostly people from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. The new immigrant communities: is encouraged to continue speaking their own languages as well as English .

9. Multiracial Britain This latest wave of immigration has caused problems : racial tension and racial prejudice in Britain today There is still discrimination against Asian and back people, many of whom are unemployed or in low-paid jobs. However, the atmosphere is improving. British culture is being enriched through its contact with other cultures. For example, the British are becoming more adventurous in their cooking and eating habits, and Chinese, Indian and Pakistani restaurants are very popular. the pop music: where West Indian music has become very influential.

10. Exercise Write T for true and F for False. Correct the false information …………… Invaders’ languages influenced the English language. ……………People from the 4 countries of Britain speak English. ……………Southern English accent is taught to foreigners. ……………People from Wales, Scotland, England and Northern Ireland can understand one another easily. ……………The British government encourages immigrant communities to speak their own languages and English . …………… British culture is enriched through its contact with immigrants’ cultures. T T T T F F T

11. THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE   The roots of English English began as a west Germanic language (brought to England by the Saxons around 400 AD). Old English was the spoken and written language of England between 400 and 1100 AD. Old English was very different from modern English and only a few words can be easily recognized. From the Norman Conquest (1066) until the late 12th century, English was replaced as the official language by Norman French, though English was still used by the lower classes – (Middle English) English was influenced by French and also Latin in vocabulary and pronunciation. French brought many words connected with government, e.g. sovereign, royal, court, legal , and government itself.

12. The development of Modern English Modern English developed from the Middle English dialect of the East Midlands and was influenced by the English used in London English changed a great deal from this time until the end of the 18th century. During the Renaissance, many words were introduced from Greek and Latin to express new ideas, especially in science, medicine and philosophy . The development of printing helped establish standards of spelling and grammar. Samuel Johnson’s A Dictionary of the English Language (1755), was the first authoritative treatment of English. THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

13. English is now an international language and is used as a means of communication between people from many countries. As a result the influences on the English language are wider than ever and it is possible that World English will move away from using a British or American standard and establish its own international identity. (from Oxford Guide to British and American Culture, p.178) THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

14. SUMMARY: people & LANGUAGE Who are the British? Why British, not English? Great Britain and the United Kingdom the British Isles’? Language The multiracial Britain The English Language The root of English The development of Modern English English as an international language