Flashcards on Historical Development of the English Language
Historical Development of the English Language: A Student Guide
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History of English
14 cards
Card 1
Question: What main language groups influenced the development of English?
Answer: Germanic (Old English), Old Norse (Vikings), French (Normans), Latin (classical and ecclesiastical), and influences from Celtic languages.
Card 2
Question: Which Celtic languages belong to the Gaelic group and where were they used?
Answer: Irish Gaelic/Erse (Ireland), Manx (Isle of Man), Scottish Gaelic (Scotland).
Card 3
Question: Which languages form the Brythonic group of Celtic languages and where?
Answer: Welsh (Wales), Cornish (Cornwall), Breton (Brittany).
Card 4
Question: Provide examples of Celtic toponymic words in English and their original languages.
Answer: Welsh: Cymru, llan; Scottish Gaelic: loch, glen; Irish Gaelic: lough.
Card 5
Question: What influence did the Romans have on English and what legacy did they leave in town names?
Answer: The Latin word 'castra' gave rise to the suffixes -chester/-cester/-caster (e.g., Colchester, Leicester, Doncaster).
Card 6
Question: What was the influence of the Anglo-Saxons (Germanic) on English?
Answer: Old English influenced spelling, brought Germanic vocabulary, compounds, synonyms, and idioms (e.g., in Beowulf); English had various dialects. Exampl
Card 7
Question: What contribution did the Vikings (Old Norse) make to English and what are some examples of toponyms?
Answer: Old Norse added vocabulary related to war and seafaring; some places bear the suffix -by (Rugby, Derby, Whitby) and words like 'get' or 'sky' (with th
Card 8
Question: What did the Norman Conquest (1066) bring to the English language?
Answer: The Normans spoke Norman French; many French words (parliament, language, hotel, example, beef, table, plate) were adopted, mainly between 1250–1400.
Card 9
Question: How is the Middle English period defined and which languages did educated people master?
Answer: Middle English: 1066–1500. An educated Englishman often spoke Norman French, Latin, and English. French was the language of law and property administr
Card 10
Question: What influence did late medieval and Renaissance changes (Early Modern English) have on English?
Answer: The Renaissance and Humanism brought influences from Latin and Greek (classical inspiration) as well as vocabulary from French, Italian, and Spanish;