The Origin and Development of English Language, Main theories of Language

Utkarsh Education

 

Origin and Development of English Language

However, nothing can be said authentically about the origin of language, although there are several theories, which have been expanded in support of its origin, but these theories are based on speculation and surmises. It can be said that a language is recognized when it becomes a forceful medium of expression or communication of feelings as well as emotions. If we have a glance over the development of English language, we notice a gradual development and enrichment by the valuable contribution and impact of other languages and their literature.

English language did not occupy reputed place in antiguity rather it was neglected and looked down by the then upper class society. As a matter of fact, English was spoken by rustics and lower class of society. When Germanic and Franco Latin literature was furnished, English also became rich language and literature.

Firstly Anglo Saxon literature contributed English and secondly, the literature imparted from France by the Normans, helped in its development. Anglo Saxon literature was cultivated by the Teutonic tribes, which invaded Britain at the end of the Vth century. This literature in the outcome of the work of clerks during the period from VIIth to XIth century. In the Latin literature of the age, some renowned persons like Aldhelm (640-709), Prede (673-735), Mark of Jarrow and Aluim (735-804) wrote in Latin and composed some English views and songs in English. First creation of the erudities of language is poetry. The most pre-dominant and notable characteristics of the Germanic language, spoken by Anglo Saxon are consonants. But this is not the strict rule to use this metre, but the alteration may be formed by vowels also.

Further old English possessed the facility of forming compound words. These compound words display the original sense by their elements which form then; e.g.. geal-adi (gall disease) is jaundice. Lic-song (the corpse song) is a dirgelie tun (the town of corpses) is the cemetery etc. Then, the use of compound words was common to both poetry and prose, but independent English language and its literature has yet not come in existence. Poeta used such words for ornamen to bring emphasis or effect.

Thus, up to 9th century. English poetry or prose had no identification literature. Towards the middle of Xth century a remarkable advancement w made in English culture by the re-establishment of the Benedictive Monaster One of the pupils of this school, at Winchester Alfric cultivated more refine prose, which was more musical and poetic. So, on the whole, Anglo Saxon pro is much nearer to modern prose.

Gradually the Anglo Saxon vocabulary was being transferred by the disappearance of its poetic terms and new words went on making their place in the language. These new words were supplied by the Normans. Besides the Anglo Saxon words became modified in form and pronunciation and change resulted in the form of shortened words. Thus, Anglo Saxon became gradually modified into modern English with its simple grammar.

Thus, we can see, that the history of English language is usually described as covering three stages-Old English up to about 1150, Middle English upto about 1500 and then Modern English. The gap between modern language and the old English is now so great that old English has to be studied as if it were foreign language. 

1. Old English (Early Period of English Language) upto about 1150

The origin of English can be traced further back, beyond the dialects of the early Germanic settlers, to the West Germanic languages spoken by tribes in North-West Germany around the beginning of the Christian Era. These Wes German languages are in turn part of a wider Germanic group, which include the Scandinavian languages. All of these form a branch of the Indo-European family of languages, spoken from Northern India to the Atlantic coast of Europe. Due to kinship among all these languages Persian, Hindi, Spanish, Galtic and English alike and others lies in the many words (in different forms) that they have in common, e.g., we find words equivalent to snow, birch, wolf, honey ant beech. The only difference between Germanic languages from the other Indo European tongues is that verbs can be grouped into two classes, called 'weak and 'strong, according to the form of their past tense.

The various Anglo Saxon tribes in England has different dialects. Of these, West Saxon is the most important today. The Latin alphabet was widely all over Europe. The core of our modern English vocabulary, is of old English stock. There was difference in the grammar and inflections, the ending of words show their relationships with other words. Old English showed these relationships by of inflections that indicated grammatical classifications. Thus, old English was by no means as adjudged from the modern standards. As relationships between words were indicated by inflection, there was no crucial need for related words to be positioned next to each other. This complex use of inflections was breaking down throughout the old English period but it was so well established that the changes began to appear late in the written English. On account of Scandinavian influence on spoken English between IXth and XIth centuries. Many Scandinavian words come readily into English and contributed to the dialects of Northern and Eastern England eg.. cracked, bath, skill, husband and Thursday. 

2. Middle English Period (1150 to 1500)

English came back into general literary use in the 14th Century, by this time, the writing habits that had been ingrained in old English were quite forgotten. Writers now adopted many French conventions, using qu-in words like queen or queak, instead of the old English. The French symbols-ou- and -ow-were used to represent the /-00 sound that in old English had been written -U (hus "a house"). Changes in pronunciation were already taking place in. Later old English, continued rapidly and new spellings were adopted to represent the new sounds, e.g., old English spellings such as stan and ham (for a stone' and 'a home') now became stone and home. Besides this, French words too began to appear in English writing. Geoffrey Chaucer, a fairly representative user of Middle English, used a high proportion of French words in his poetry. He compared a long descriptive poem, "The Canterbury Tales'. In this poem he chose thirty pilgrims and drew a portrait of each one. These portraits (prologue) display his skill of human and irony and so he is known as Father of English poetry. By about 1400, the year of Chaucer's death, more than half of English vocabulary consisted of French imports. Thus, the most obvious change in middle English was the loss of old inflected endings. Chaucer's English is much more intelligible to the modern readers.

3. Modern English Period (Early Renaissance and Afterwards)

Between Old and Middle English period, grammatical and vocabulary changes were most dramatic but between Middle and Modern English, it was pronunciation changes, that marked the transition most strongly. After Chaucer's time, the Vowel sounds, particularly long Vowels underwent a process of modification and it has become known as the Great Vowel shift. English language gradually but slowly achieved its proper place during 15th and 16th centuries. English became the language of cultured society and covered for flung area on the globe. Thomas Wyatt (1503) and Surrey (1517) are the most important names who served English Literature. The literary works of Philip Sidney (1554) appeared between the years 1518 and 1582, but were published after his death. Edmund Spender felt that the purity of the language could be preserved only by reviving old words and using words from dialect. Thus, Renaissance or Elizabethan period was full of great poets, dramatists and essayists. This period is rich in all its manifestation. Shakespeare, Spencer and Bacon are the shining stars of this period. English achieved its highest position and glory during this period.

The major movement in language was the attempt to establish rules of correctness in the 17th Century, now the first time, dictionaries defining the meanings of words were published and Dr. Samuel Johnson in 1755 contributed in this field. Throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries, the debates about standards of correctness and acceptability to be debated and during the first of the 20th Century under the influence of radio, there was a strong move towards a prescribed standard.

THE ORIGIN OF LANGUAGE

Diverse views are available with regarding the origin of formal language. Some points are as follows:

(1) The 'Divine Gift' Theory: 

According to Indian philosophy, language is the divine gift of God. The Vedas are eternal and therefore, words are eternal since they are gift of God. In Bhagvad Gita Lord Krishna says, "I am the sacred 'OM' in all the Vedas." According to this view 'OM' which is a combination of A+U+M is the root of all the sounds and it represents the union of the three Gods-Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh.

(2) Onomatopoeic Theory: 

Onomatopoeia is a world which resembles the object associated with it. According to this view, the first form of language resembled the cries of animals full of joy, pain or terror and the chattering of leaves and branches of and noises of the served as source of inspiration to the primitive man to express himself through speech. He imitated the voices of animals and birds. We can call it imitation theory also. This is also known as "bow-wow' theory which assumed that some birds and animals were named after the sounds that they produced. According to Thompson" "This mimicry of animals was generalized to other objects and events in nature e.g., the 'rumbling' of thunder, the 'scraping' of metal on rock, and the 'gurgling' of water.

In due course of time man invented other sounds for naming other objects in his sorroundings.

(3) The 'Ding-Dong' Theory: 

This theory assumes that there is an inherent quality in certain objects to force the man to elicit certain sounds resembling the sounds of those objects. For example the sound 'ding-dong' is associated with the ringing of the bell. According to this theory sound and sense are closely related and everything when struck gives a peculiar sound and a corresponding sense to the listener.

(4) The 'Pooh-Pooh' Theory: 

This theory holds that the interjections or exclamations of man during his different emotional states e.g., pleasure, pain, anger and surprise, formed the basis for the origin of language.

(5) The 'Babble-Luck' Theory: 

This theory assumes that language is the result of prattling of man while he worked. It was through chance factors that babbling or murmuring of man became to be associated with particular objects and it resulted in the origin of a private language for the personal use of a par ticular man. In due course of time, these private worlds became common for use to all.

(6) The 'Tongue-Tied' Theory: 

According to this thoery, the tongue of a human being is co-ordinated with the body by subtle bonds of imitative relationship. What our body organs do, are readily picked up by our speech organ-the tongue. In other words, our actions of the hands, arms, legs and other organs of the body are tongue-tied.

(7) The Yo- He- Ho - Theory

The propounder of this theory was Novie. This theory assumes that due to muscular exertion, a person produces a sound which gives relief to his system. During this process, the vocal chord vibrates in =different ways. For example, in a game of 'tug of war', the players produce sounds like 'hayi-sha' or an athlete running fast breathes short to regain his breath. Therefore, such sounds are produced to balance the body mechanism.

(8) The Sing Song Theory

This theory was propounded by Prof. Hedson. According to this theory, the source of speech is not gloomy seriousness but mere play and youthful hilarity. As such, the origin of speech can be traced to merry-making, sports, hunting, singing etc.

(9) The Ta-Ta Theory

Louis H. Gray was the originator of this theory. He explained that certain sound produces by the vocal chord is associated unconsciously with a particular kind of gesture. For example, child imitates his parents to produce sound like 'tata' while moving his hand. This action is performed to express his emotion of pleasure when he goes out of the house.

(10) The Contact Theory

This theory states that human beings utter sounds to fulfill his basic needs like hunger, thirst, sex, etc. In many ways, he can contact for communication with his fellow members. For example, when a child is born, the first sound he produces is of discomfort i.e. he cries. This draws the attention of mother or attendant to fulfill his needs. This in turn provides him the security of his mother's womb. Later, he starts associating certain sound to particular activity. 

Conclusion:

Modern theorists hold the view that speech is simply not the manipulation of physical organs. Therefore, it is important to learn about the psychological development of early man. Basically, language evolved with the human need to communicate. It developed in a social situation to convey message among the members of his group.