ThehistoryofEnglishin10minutesChapter1.docx

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1、ThehistoryofEnglishin10minutesChapter1 Anglo-SaxonorwhateverhappenstotheJutesTheEnglishlanguagebeginswiththephraseUpYoursCaesar!AstheRomansleaveBritainandalotofGermanictribesstartfloodingin,tribessuchastheAnglesandtheSaxonswhotogethergaveusthetermAnglo-Saxon,antheJuteswhodidn,t.TheRomansleftsomevery

2、straightroadsbehind,butnotmuchoftheirLatinlanguage.TheAnglo-SaxonvocabwasmuchmoreusefulasitwasmainlywordsforsimpleeverydaythingslikehousewomanloafandwerewolfThursdayandFridaywerenamedinhonourofAnglo-Saxongods,buttheydidn,tbotherwithSaturday,SundayandMondayastheyhadallgoneoffforalongweekend.Whilethey

3、wereaway,ChristianmissionariesstoleinbringingwiththemleafletsaboutjumblesalesandmoreLatin.Christianitywasahitwiththelocalsandmadethemmuchhappiertotakeonfunkynewwordslikemartyr,bishop,andfont.AlongcametheVikings,withtheiraction-manwordslikedrag,ransack,thrust,anddie,andaloveofpickledherring.Theymayha

4、verapedandpillagedbuttherewerealsointogiveandtake,twoofaround2000wordsthattheygaveEnglish,aswellasthephrasewatchoutofforthatmanwiththeenormousaxe.Chapter2 TheNormanConquestorexcusemyEnglish1066Truetohisname,WilliamtheConquerorinvadesBritain,bringingnewconceptsfromacrossthechannelliketheFrenchlanguag

5、e,theDoomsdaybookandthedutyfreeGalois,smultipack.Frenchwasderigeurforallofficialbusiness,withwordslikejudge,jury,evidence9,andjustice,cominginandgivingJohnGrisham,scareerakick-start.LatinwasstillusedadnauseaminChurch,andthecommonmanspokeEnglishabletocommunicateonlybyspeakingmoreslowlyandloudlyuntilt

6、heothersunderstoodhim.Wordslikecow,sheep,andswine,comefromtheEnglish-speakingfarmers,whilethealacarteversions-beef,mutton,andpoke,comefromtheFrench-speakingtoffsbeginningalongrunningtrendforrestaurantshavingcompletelyindecipherablemenus.Allinall,theEnglishhaveenrolledabout10,000newwordsfromtheNorman

7、Buttheystillcouldn,tdrafttheLordwith(Inaudible).ThebonhomieallendedwhentheEnglishnationtooktheirnewwarlikelingoofarmies9,navies,andsoldiers9andbegantheHundredYearsWaragainstFrance.Itactuallylasted116yearsbutbythatpointnoonecouldcountanyhigherinFrenchandEnglishtookoverasthelanguageofpower.Chapter3 Sh

8、akespeareoraplaqueonbothhishousesAsthedictionarytellsus,about2000newwordsandphrasewereinventedbyShakespeare.HegaveushandywordsIileeyeball,puppy-dog,andanchovy,andmoreshow-offywordslikedauntless9,4besmirch,andlackluister,.Hecameupwiththewordalligator9soonafterheranoutofthingstorthymewithcrocodileAnda

9、nationoftea-drinkersfinallytookhimtotheirheartswhenheinventedthehobnob,.Shakespeareknewthepowerofcatchphrasesaswellasbiscuits.WithouthimWewouldnevereatourfleshandblood,outofhouseandhome,wedhavetosaygoodriddance,tothegreen-eyedmonster,andbreakingtheice,wouldbeasdeadasadoornai.Ifyoutridtogetyourmoney,

10、sworthyou,dbegivenshortshrift,andanyonewhoiaiditonwithatrowecouldbehoistwithhisownpetard,.Ofcourseit,spossibleotherpeopleusedthesewordsfirst,butthedictionarywriterslikedlookingthemupinShakespearebecausetherewasmorecross-dressingandpeoplepokingeachother,seyesout.Shakespeare9SpoetryshowedtheworldthatE

11、nglishwasalanguageasrichvibrantlanguagewithlimitlessexpressiveandemotionalpower.AndhestillhadtimetoopenallthosetearoomsinStratford.Chapter4TheKingJamesBibleorlighttherebelightreadingIn1611thepowersthatbe,turnedtheworldupsidedown,withalabouroflove,anewtranslationofthebible.Ateamofscribeswiththewisdom

12、ofSolomon,-wenttheextramile,tomakeKingJames,stranslationallthingstoallmenwhetherfromtheirheart,sdesire,tofightthegoodfight,orjustforthetfilthylucre9.ThissexynewBiblewentfromstrengthtostrengthgettingtotherootofthematter9inalanguageeventhesaltoftheearth,couldunderstand.tThewritingwasn,tonthewall9,itwa

13、sinhandylittlebooksandwithfireandbrimstone,preachersreadingfromitineverychurch,itswordsandphrasetookrOOtltOtheendsoftheearth,wellatleasttheendsofBritain.TheKingJamesBibleisthebookthattaughtusthataleopardcan,tchangeitssports9,thatabirdinthehandisworthtwointhebush,thatawolfinsheep,sclothing,isharderto

14、spotthanyouwouldimagine,andhowannoyingitistohaveaflyinyourointment9.Infact,justasJonathanbegatMeribbaal;andMeribbaalbegatMicah.AndMicahbegatPithon,theKingJamesBiblebegatawholeglossaryofmetaphorandmoralitythatstillshapesthewayEnglishisspokentoday.Amen.Chapter5TheEnglishofScienceOrhowtospeakwithgravit

15、yBeforethe17theCenturyscientistsweren,treallyrecognizedpossiblybecauselab-coatshadyettocatchon.ButsuddenlyBritainwasfullofphysiciststherewasRobertHooke,RobertBoyleandevensomepeoplenotcalledRobert,likeIsaacNewton.TheRoyalSocietywasformedoutoftheInvisibleCollegeaftertheyputitdownsomewhereandcouldn,tfi

16、nditagain.AtfirsttheyworkedinLatin.AftersittingthroughNewton,sstoryaboutthepomumfallingtotheterra,fromthearbor,fortheumpteenthtime,thebrightsparksrealizedtheyallspokeEnglishandcouldtransformourunderstandingoftheuniversemuchquickerbytalkingintheirownlanguage.Butsciencewasdiscoveringthingsfasterthantheycouldnamethem.Wordslike4acid,gravity9,electricityandpendulum9hadtobeinventedjusttostoptheirmeetingstu