1、The French Language in England,Rollo (Gngu-Hrlfur) The Normans,William the Conqueror,1066,The main linguistic effects of the Norman invasion,Secular and religious authorities became French Old English spelling traditions were lost English came to be written as it was spoken Dialectal differences app
2、eared,The main linguistic effects of the Norman invasion,The changes that had occurred since the Norse invasions, now appeared for the first time in the witten language,1066-1200,1200-1300,1300-1400,1066-1200,1200-1300,1300-1400,The French Language in England 1066-1200,Norman French is the native la
3、nguage of the nobility. Probably not a great deal of bilingualism. Small numbers of French loans enter English.,1066-1200,1200-1300,1300-1400,1204 Loss of Normandy. French is the cultivated, prestige language. Norman French loses prestige and the nobility begin to look to Paris for their norm.,The F
4、rench Language in England 1200-1300,Difference between Norman French and Central (Parisian) French,NORMAN FRENCH retained kcattle castle carpenter cauldron carry catch retained ggarden gaol,PARISIAN FRENCH k has become chattels chair charity chief change chase g has becomejoy jest jail,in some envir
5、onments,in some environments,g survives only in spelling,Difference between Norman French and Central (Parisian) French,NORMAN FRENCHis retained incatchw in Germanic loanwordswhile ward(en) Williamwar wasp,PARISIAN FRENCHhas become s inchasew becomes g(w)guile gardian Guy(guerre, gupe),1204 Loss of
6、Normandy. French is the cultivated, prestige language. Norman French loses prestige and the nobility begin to look to Paris for their norm. There is a diglossic situation, with French the high-prestige, English the low-prestige variety.,The French Language in England 1200-1300,Diglossia,Prestige,hus
7、 mus haus maus,Enry Henry,Examples from Modern English:,Arthur Harthur,Diglossia,Prestige,hew colour,neat beef,stench scent,athling prince,Examples from Middle English:,1204 Loss of Normandy. French is the cultivated, prestige language. Norman French loses prestige and the nobility begin to look to
8、Paris for their norm. There is a diglossic situation, with French the high-prestige, English the low-prestige variety. Large numbers of French loans enter English,The French Language in England 1200-1300,1066-1200,1200-1300,1300-1400,English becomes the dominant language, but French remains dominant
9、 in literature and at the court. Increasing evidence of imperfect knowledge of French amongst the nobility. Although the knowledge of French is waning, its linguistic prestige can be seen by still increasing numbers of French loans in English.,The French Language in England 1300-1400,1334-1453 The H
10、undred Years War with France. 1348-9 The Black Death. 30% mortality. Labour shortage, wage rises, increasing importance of the English-speaking classes 1386 English accepted in the courts (Statute of Pleading) Two major English poets at the end of the 14th century: Gower writes mostly in French (but
11、 composes one long work Confessio amantis, in English) Chaucer writes almost entirely in English. Evidence of private letters: 1350: French is the rule. After 1400: English becomes common. After 1450: English is the rule.,The French Language in England 1300-1400 Factors contributing to the decline o
12、f French:,Jeo prie a la Benoit Trinite que vous ottroie bone vie ove tresentier sauntee a treslonge durre, and sende yowe sone to ows in hel and prosperitee for, in god fey, I hope to Al Mighty God that, yef ye come youre owne persone, ye schulle have the victorie of alle your enemyes. And for salva
13、tion of oure Schire and Marches al aboute, treste ye nought to no Leutenaunt. Escript a Hereford, en tresgraunte haste, a trois de la clocke apres noone, le tierce jour de Septembre.Richard Winston, Dean of Windsor, to the King 1403 Baugh fn 195 p. 151,Baugh: 1000 French words at random,(statistics in footnote to 133, p. 178 5th edn),NB first recorded occurence in a written text,status of French,Baugh: 1000 French words,
