The English LanguageThe English Language

Throughout time, the English Throughout time, the English language has gone through many language has gone through many changes.changes.

There are 4 major periods: Old There are 4 major periods: Old English, Middle English, Early Modern English, Middle English, Early Modern English, and Late Modern EnglishEnglish, and Late Modern English

Which one are we in?Which one are we in?

play a wav file of this Old English text (518Kb)play a wav file of this Old English text (518Kb)

Old English: The Lord’s PrayerOld English: The Lord’s PrayerFæder ure þuþe eart on heofonum Fæder ure þuþe eart on heofonum 

si þin nama gehalgod tobecume þin si þin nama gehalgod tobecume þin rice gewurþe þin willa on eorðan swa rice gewurþe þin willa on eorðan swa swa on heofonum swa on heofonum urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us to urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us to dæg dæg and forgyf us ure gyltas swa swa we and forgyf us ure gyltas swa swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum forgyfað urum gyltendum and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge ac and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge ac alys us of yfele soþlice.alys us of yfele soþlice.

Middle EnglishMiddle English

Oure fadir þat art in heuenes halwid be Oure fadir þat art in heuenes halwid be þi name; þi name; þi reume or kyngdom come to be. Be þi þi reume or kyngdom come to be. Be þi wille don in herþe as it is dounin wille don in herþe as it is dounin heuene. heuene. yeue to us today oure eche dayes bred. yeue to us today oure eche dayes bred. And foryeue to us oure dettis þat is oure And foryeue to us oure dettis þat is oure synnys as we foryeuen to oure dettouris synnys as we foryeuen to oure dettouris þat is to men þat han synned in us. þat is to men þat han synned in us. And lede us not into temptacion but And lede us not into temptacion but delyuere us from euyldelyuere us from euyl

Early Modern EnglishEarly Modern English

Our father which art in heauen, Our father which art in heauen, hallowed be thy name. hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth as it is in heauen. in earth as it is in heauen. Giue us this day our daily bread. Giue us this day our daily bread. And forgiue us our debts as we And forgiue us our debts as we forgiue our debters. forgiue our debters. And lead us not into temptation, but And lead us not into temptation, but deliuer us from euill. deliuer us from euill.

Late Modern EnglishLate Modern English

Our father in heaven, hallowed be your Our father in heaven, hallowed be your name. Your kingdom come, your will be name. Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread and Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our tresspasses, as we forgive us our tresspasses, as we forgive those who tresspass against us. forgive those who tresspass against us.

Lead us not into temptation but deliver us Lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil from evil

The Language of The Language of ShakespeareShakespeare

Shakespeare wrote using Shakespeare wrote using Early Early Modern EnglishModern English also called also called Elizabethan EnglishElizabethan English

EME is different from the way we EME is different from the way we speak today, although it has many speak today, although it has many similaritiessimilarities

Iambic PentameterIambic Pentameter

Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets are Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets are written in iambic pentameter.written in iambic pentameter.

An An “iamb”“iamb” is the combination of an is the combination of an unstressed syllable followed by a unstressed syllable followed by a stressed syllable.stressed syllable.

EX: EX:

annoy, fulfill, pretend, regard, and annoy, fulfill, pretend, regard, and serene serene

Iambic PentameterIambic Pentameter

In each line of Shakespeare there are In each line of Shakespeare there are 10 syllables, and 5 iambs.10 syllables, and 5 iambs.

Penta meter Penta meter Penta means 5 Penta means 5 Meter Meter refers to the recurrence of a refers to the recurrence of a

rhythmic unit. This is also called a “foot”rhythmic unit. This is also called a “foot”A line written in iambic pentameter has A line written in iambic pentameter has

5 iambs or “feet” and 10 syllables5 iambs or “feet” and 10 syllables

ExamplesExamples

But, soft! what light through yonder But, soft! what light through yonder window breaks?window breaks?   

     

I will not fail: 'tis twenty years till I will not fail: 'tis twenty years till then.then.   

I have forgot why I did call thee back.I have forgot why I did call thee back.   

Why Iambic Pentameter?Why Iambic Pentameter?

It closely mimics the natural speech It closely mimics the natural speech pattern in English.pattern in English.

It made lines easier to remember for It made lines easier to remember for the actors.the actors.

Other issues when reading Other issues when reading Shakespeare…Shakespeare…

1. Unfamiliar Vocabulary: using 1. Unfamiliar Vocabulary: using unfamiliar words or forms of words.unfamiliar words or forms of words.

EX: “It was merely foolery, I did not mark it.”EX: “It was merely foolery, I did not mark it.”

““Foolery” means “foolishness”Foolery” means “foolishness” ““Mark it” means “notice it.”Mark it” means “notice it.” Restate the line in your own words:Restate the line in your own words:

Strategies you can use to combat this issue:Strategies you can use to combat this issue:

Issues…Issues…

2. Grammatical Forms: archaic forms of 2. Grammatical Forms: archaic forms of familiar words (mostly pronouns)familiar words (mostly pronouns)

EX: “O judgment thou art fled to brutish EX: “O judgment thou art fled to brutish beasts!”beasts!”

““Thou art” means “you are” Thou art” means “you are” EX: “Get thee to a nunnery!”EX: “Get thee to a nunnery!”““Thee” means “yourself” or sometimes “you”Thee” means “yourself” or sometimes “you”EX: “To thine own self be true”EX: “To thine own self be true”““Thine” means “your”Thine” means “your”EX: “Romeo, Romeo wherefore art thou EX: “Romeo, Romeo wherefore art thou

Romeo?”Romeo?”““Wherefore” means “why” Wherefore” means “why” Strategies you can use to combat this issue:Strategies you can use to combat this issue:

Issues…Issues…

3. Grammatical Structure: different 3. Grammatical Structure: different grammatical structures than Late Modern grammatical structures than Late Modern EnglishEnglish

EX: “I denied you not”EX: “I denied you not”

Translation: I did not deny youTranslation: I did not deny you

EX: “Get you home!”EX: “Get you home!”

Translation: “Get home!” or “Go home!”Translation: “Get home!” or “Go home!”

Issues…Issues…

44. Unusual Word Order. Unusual Word Order

EX: “Did this in Caesar seem EX: “Did this in Caesar seem ambitious?”ambitious?”

Translation: “Did this seem ambitious Translation: “Did this seem ambitious of Caesar?”of Caesar?”

Strategies: Strategies:

Issues…Issues…

5.5. PunsPuns: puns are when homonyms are : puns are when homonyms are used for effectused for effect

EX: “A trade, sir, that I hope I may use EX: “A trade, sir, that I hope I may use with a safe conscience, which is with a safe conscience, which is indeed, sir a mender of bad soles.”indeed, sir a mender of bad soles.”

The pun: he is a cobbler, who makes The pun: he is a cobbler, who makes shoesshoes

Souls v. soles “mends bad souls”Souls v. soles “mends bad souls”

Strategies: Strategies:

Play on wordsPlay on words

Similar to puns, a play on words is Similar to puns, a play on words is where a phrase is misinterpreted as where a phrase is misinterpreted as meaning something other than the meaning something other than the intended meaning. Listen/ Look at intended meaning. Listen/ Look at “Who’s on First” by Abbott and “Who’s on First” by Abbott and Costello. What is being Costello. What is being mistinterpretted?mistinterpretted?

http://www.phoenix5.org/humor/Whohttp://www.phoenix5.org/humor/WhoOnFirst.htmlOnFirst.html

..\Who's on ..\Who's on First.docFirst.doc

Issues…Issues…

6. Allusions6. Allusions: a reference to a well-: a reference to a well-known story in the Bible, known story in the Bible, Greek/Roman Mythology, or a well-Greek/Roman Mythology, or a well-known person like Queen Elizabethknown person like Queen Elizabeth

EX: “Why man he doth bestride the EX: “Why man he doth bestride the narrow world/Like a Colossus”narrow world/Like a Colossus”

Translation: An allusion to the giant Translation: An allusion to the giant Colossus from mythologyColossus from mythology

Strategies: Strategies:

End of notes

RECAPRECAP

Shakespeare writes in a form of Shakespeare writes in a form of English called ______ _____ ______.English called ______ _____ ______.

He uses _____ ______ which has 10 He uses _____ ______ which has 10 syllables per line and five feet per line.syllables per line and five feet per line.

Some issues when reading Some issues when reading Shakespeare are…Shakespeare are…

Some strategies when reading Some strategies when reading Shakespeare are…Shakespeare are…

AssignmentAssignment

Read Sonnet #Read Sonnet #

Mark the unstressed and stressed Mark the unstressed and stressed syllables in each linesyllables in each line

Translate each line into Late Modern Translate each line into Late Modern English YOU WILL NEED A English YOU WILL NEED A DICTIONARY OR THESAURUSDICTIONARY OR THESAURUS

SonnetSonnetWhen in disgrace with fortune and men's eyesWhen in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes

I all alone beweep my outcast state,I all alone beweep my outcast state,And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,And look upon myself, and curse my fate,And look upon myself, and curse my fate,Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,Wishing me like to one more rich in hope,Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,Featured like him, like him with friends possessed,Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope,Desiring this man's art, and that man's scope,With what I most enjoy contented least;With what I most enjoy contented least;Yet in these thoughts my self almost despising,Yet in these thoughts my self almost despising,Haply I think on thee, and then my state,Haply I think on thee, and then my state,Like to the lark at break of day arisingLike to the lark at break of day arisingFrom sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;For thy sweet love remembered such wealth bringsFor thy sweet love remembered such wealth bringsThat then I scorn to change my state with kings. That then I scorn to change my state with kings.

It is uncertain whether the state of disgrace referred to in It is uncertain whether the state of disgrace referred to in this sonnet is a real or imaginary one, for we have no this sonnet is a real or imaginary one, for we have no external evidence of a dip in Shakespeare's fortunes which external evidence of a dip in Shakespeare's fortunes which might have contributed to an attack of melancholy and a might have contributed to an attack of melancholy and a subsequent castigation of fate as the perpetrator. It is subsequent castigation of fate as the perpetrator. It is tempting to relate works to periods in an author's life. tempting to relate works to periods in an author's life. Certainly the years in which Shakespeare wrote Lear and Certainly the years in which Shakespeare wrote Lear and Timon of Athens seem not to have been the happiest of Timon of Athens seem not to have been the happiest of times, but it is almost impossible to correlate particular times, but it is almost impossible to correlate particular events in his life, and the possible emotional crises that events in his life, and the possible emotional crises that they could have produced, with publication dates, or known they could have produced, with publication dates, or known dates of production of his plays. The sorrow quoted here dates of production of his plays. The sorrow quoted here might be more rhetorical than real, being part of the sonnet might be more rhetorical than real, being part of the sonnet tradition, in which many misfortunes contrive to make the tradition, in which many misfortunes contrive to make the lover unhappy. It also serves to highlight the great joy lover unhappy. It also serves to highlight the great joy which ends the poem, when he thinks once more on his which ends the poem, when he thinks once more on his beloved, as in the psalms, and rises above the clouds.beloved, as in the psalms, and rises above the clouds.