The French influence on the English vocabulary had its greatest expansion in the period of the Middle English (1150 – 1500). During this time over 10,000 French words were adapted into the English language and about 75 per cent of these are still in use. The reasons for that are, firstly, the bilingualism in England which had been prevailing since the Norman Conquest in 1066. Secondly, the English culture was regarded as inferior, i.e. it had more to gain from the language spoken by the upper classes.
Although, these extensive changes were important for the improvement of the English language, there were also disadvantages to it. The loss of native words, the different Middle English dialects, the need of a Standard English are only some examples for this. Does that mean the English we speak today would not have been the same, if there had been no French influence? Undoubtedly, every influence on something does change the circumstances of it, otherwise it would not be an influence.
The question now would be, if English really profited from the French language or if it was more a drawback to its further development. I want to deal with this matter of fact in my research paper. I will show the historical conditions from the Norman Conquest up to the 15th century in a diachronical way, as it is important to know about the situation in England at that time to understand the changes in the English language. As the French influence hardly affected the English grammar, I only consider the changes in the vocabulary. I also briefly refer to other language borrowings to show that the French influence was not the only one, but the most effective in the period of great change – the Middle English.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. 11th – 15th century
2.1 The decline of English
2.2 The period of Great Influence
3. Language influences
3.1. Borrowings into the English language
3.2. French loan-words in Middle English
4. Middle English dialects
5. The loss of native words
6. Conclusion
7. Bibliography
Objectives and Research Focus
This research paper examines the impact of the French language on English vocabulary during the Middle English period (1150–1500). The primary objective is to investigate the historical conditions of the Norman Conquest and evaluate whether this extensive linguistic influence was a progressive contribution or a hindrance to the development of the English language.
- Historical context of the Norman Conquest and its impact on language prestige.
- Diachronic analysis of vocabulary shifts from the 11th to the 15th century.
- Examination of Middle English dialects and the emergence of a Standard English.
- Assessment of the loss of native English words due to French lexical adoption.
Excerpt from the Book
3.2. French loan-words in Middle English
As I already mentioned on page 5 the most of borrowings was adopted in the 13th and 14th century when French was dying out. Still, the earliest French loans into the English language were found in preconquest documents and considered nobility values and tastes e.g. castel ‘castle’ and prўd ‘pride’. The influence came from two different French dialect; the Norman-French as written and spoken language and later the Central French from Paris as an acquired language of literature.18 The early borrowings from Norman-French were mostly from the everyday use (e.g. garden, people, hour), had a French pronunciation and were more ordinary than the later loan-words from the French of the Ile de France, which soon were given the English sounds. On the basis of these slight differences in pronunciation one can still show at what time loans came into the English language.19
The question why the French words are different from the Modern French which is spoken nowadays must be answered with the development of languages with time in spelling and pronounciation and with the gradual process a loan-word is going. “[T]he first step is taken when monolingual native speakers begin to understand and use the new words”.20Then the transformation of the word’s phonology and the rise of derivations, i.e. changes from nouns to verbs or the adding of affixes (e.g. gentle to gentleman, faith to faithful) are next, and lastly, loanwords might change their meaning in the borrowing language (e.g. blank, in French ‘white’, in English ‘empty’).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The introduction outlines the significant expansion of French influence on English vocabulary during the Middle English period and defines the scope of the study regarding historical conditions and vocabulary shifts.
2. 11th – 15th century: This chapter details the historical decline of the English language following the Norman Conquest and the subsequent period where French dominated as the language of the upper classes and administration.
3. Language influences: This chapter analyzes the various linguistic influences on Middle English, specifically focusing on the adoption of loanwords from French and other languages.
4. Middle English dialects: This chapter discusses the regional diversity of English in the Middle English era and how the East Midland dialect eventually served as the basis for a standardized language.
5. The loss of native words: This chapter examines the lexical consequences of adopting French words, leading to the displacement of native English terminology.
6. Conclusion: The conclusion synthesizes the study's findings, weighing the advantages of a diversified vocabulary against the loss of native linguistic heritage.
7. Bibliography: Lists the academic sources used to support the research on the historical development of the English language.
Keywords
Middle English, French influence, Norman Conquest, Vocabulary, Loan-words, Language development, Historical linguistics, Dialects, Standard English, Native words, Lexical change, Bilingualism, Anglo-Norman, Etymology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary subject of this research paper?
The paper explores the massive influx of French vocabulary into the English language during the Middle English period (1150–1500) as a consequence of the Norman Conquest.
What are the central thematic areas?
The central themes include the historical prestige of French in England, the evolution of English dialects, the adoption of foreign loanwords, and the displacement of native English vocabulary.
What is the central research question?
The research seeks to determine whether the French linguistic influence was a beneficial advancement for the development of the English language or a detrimental drawback.
What methodology is employed?
The author utilizes a diachronic historical analysis, focusing on vocabulary changes from the Norman Conquest through the 15th century to explain the evolution of the language.
What is covered in the main body?
The main body covers the historical decline of English, the two distinct stages of French borrowing, the variety of Middle English dialects, and the systematic loss of native English words.
Which keywords define this work?
Key terms include Middle English, Norman Conquest, loan-words, lexical change, language prestige, and historical linguistics.
How did the loss of Normandy in 1204 influence the English language?
The loss of Normandy forced landholders to choose between English and French identities, which accelerated nationalistic thinking and increased the importance and use of the English language.
Why did the East Midland dialect become the standard form of English?
The East Midland dialect became the standard due to its administrative, economic, and commercial importance, as well as its connection to London as the seat of government and culture.
- Quote paper
- Magistra Artium Claudia Stehr (Author), 2000, The french influence on the english vocabulary in middle english, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/73834
