This dissertation aims at explaining the enormous impact of Old Norse on the English language, more prominent in quality than in quantity. Such influence is firstly dealt with by focusing on the historical and sociocultural context, which, split into different periods, becomes of paramount importance in order to grasp the essence of such contact, both linguistic and cultural, between both societies throughout the centuries. Linguistically, general features of the Germanic group of languages are approached from different perspectives, mainly from the phonetical and morphosyntactic ones. Likewise, such analysis is followed by a comparative one between Old Norse and Old English as coexisting languages, thus allowing similarities and differences between both of them to come to the fore. Finally, the Old Norse influence is covered by taking into special account morphosyntactic and lexical elements, that is, those areas where both Germanic languages have come closer to each other. Therefore, this has allowed us to delve into those numerous items stemming either from the same or from dissimilar sources, most of which, whatever the case, are still substantially present in the everyday uses of today’s English.
Table of Contents
1. INTRODUCTION AND TOPIC DESCRIPTION
1.1. Nature of the research
1.2. Background
1.3. Objectives
1.4. Relevance
1.5. Hypothesis
1.6. Operational definitions
1.6.1. Cognates
1.6.2. Danelaw
1.6.3. Grimm’s Law
1.6.4. Intercomprehension
1.6.5. Interculturality
1.6.6. Metathesis
1.6.7. Rhotacism
1.6.8. Umlaut
1.6.9. Verner’s Law
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. Historical, social and cultural contact
2.1.1. First period (787-850)
2.1.2. Second period (850-878)
2.1.3. Third period (878-1042)
2.2. The Germanic group of languages
2.2.1. Phonology
2.2.2. Morphology
2.3. Old English and Old Norse: a comparative analysis
2.3.1. Phonology
2.3.2. Morphology
3. THE INFLUENCE OF OLD NORSE ON MODERN ENGLISH
3.1. Intercomprehension and interculturality
3.2. Linguistic borrowings
3.2.1. Morphology
3.2.2. Grammar
3.2.3. Vocabulary
4. DISCUSSION
4.1. Results
4.2. Implications
4.3. Limitations of the study
4.4. Lines for future research
Objectives & Topics
The primary objective of this dissertation is to analyze the significant impact of Old Norse on the English language, focusing on qualitative rather than quantitative influence, and to demonstrate the deep-rooted cultural and linguistic connection between these Germanic languages. The research seeks to raise awareness of how historical contacts between societies shape modern linguistic structures.
- Historical and sociocultural context of Scandinavian-English contact.
- Comparative analysis of phonological and morphological features of Old Norse and Old English.
- Mechanisms of linguistic borrowing and the creolization of English.
- The role of intercomprehension and interculturality in language development.
- Examination of lexical survival in the modern standard language.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1. Nature of the research
Following the criteria promoted by Seliger and Shohamy (1989), this MA dissertation has been projected to be mostly theoretical, according to the general structure of the research, since this has been developed on the basis of bibliographical compilation. Furthermore, regarding the sources of information, it is based on secondary research, that is, attention has been paid mainly to the most relevant written materials, ranging from articles to academic papers, and covering different issues, from sociocultural and historical to more general and more specific linguistic topics.
Concerning the approach, this dissertation must be defined as holistic, as general aspects have been covered from different areas of expertise. This does not mean, however, that analytic approaches have been completely ruled out and some points have not been analyzed deeply and specifically, as this is just the opposite. In any case, it is essential to point out that, since analytic approaches delimit the range of the research too much, they have clearly remained on a second level.
As to the methodology of the research, this dissertation should be labelled as deductive, because it moves from the most general theoretical points to the more specific topics (i.e., introduction, literature review, sociocultural and linguistic influence, conclusions and implications, etc.). There are also some results and further proposals which may be categorized as possible practical applications (e.g., future lines of research in different fields).
Summary of Chapters
1. INTRODUCTION AND TOPIC DESCRIPTION: Sets the theoretical framework for the dissertation, detailing the deductive methodology and the qualitative approach taken to analyze linguistic influence.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW: Provides a historical overview of Scandinavian-English contact, analyzing the sociopolitical periods and the Germanic linguistic relationships.
3. THE INFLUENCE OF OLD NORSE ON MODERN ENGLISH: Investigates the actual linguistic impact of Old Norse on English, specifically through morphological and lexical borrowing processes.
4. DISCUSSION: Synthesizes the findings, reflecting on the qualitative prominence of Old Norse and offering implications for further research in linguistics and education.
Keywords
Cognates, contact, influence, Modern English, intercomprehension, interculturality, loanwords, Old Norse, Scandinavian, stem, phonology, morphology, linguistic borrowing, Germanic languages, sociolinguistics.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is this dissertation primarily about?
This work investigates the diachronic influence of Old Norse on the English language, arguing that this influence is qualitatively more significant than it is quantitatively.
What are the core research themes?
The core themes include the historical contact between Scandinavian and English societies, the comparative linguistics of these two Germanic groups, and the resulting linguistic borrowings.
What is the primary objective of the research?
The goal is to analyze how historical interactions between Scandinavian settlers and local populations led to the integration of Norse elements into the core of the English language.
Which research methodology is applied?
The research uses a deductive, theoretical, and qualitative approach, relying primarily on a comprehensive review of existing academic bibliography and historical documents.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body covers the historical phases of the Viking era, phonological and morphological comparisons of Old Norse and Old English, and specific examples of linguistic and lexical borrowings.
What are the key terms associated with this work?
Key terms include cognates, intercomprehension, interculturality, Germanic group of languages, loanwords, and creolization.
How did the Danelaw impact English?
The Danelaw established a zone of cultural and social interaction that facilitated the deep integration of Old Norse lexical and grammatical features into the English language.
What is the role of intercomprehension in this study?
Intercomprehension is identified as a facilitator, explaining how the mutual intelligibility between speakers of closely related Germanic languages accelerated the borrowing process.
How does the author view the "quantitative" vs "qualitative" influence?
The author argues that while Old Norse accounts for a relatively low percentage of total English vocabulary, its qualitative impact is high because these loanwords are used frequently in daily life.
What are the implications for future research?
The author suggests applying these linguistic insights to corpus linguistics, the development of didactic units in education, and improving the localization of historical content in modern media like videogames.
- Arbeit zitieren
- Rafael Damas Quiles (Autor:in), 2017, Quality over Quantity. A Diachronic Approach to the Influence of Old Norse on the English Language, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/416100
