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Th12/6/12

Distribution of English Language Speakers

(Ch. 5.1 – pp. 133-143)

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I. Origin and Diffusion of English

• English as 1st language – 328M ppl.

• Primary language in 57 countries

A.English colonies– North America – VA, NE– initial competition w/ Fr., Sp.– Canada, USA, Ireland, India/South Asia,

South Africa, Australia, etc.– US diffusion - Philippines

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English-Speaking Countries

Figure 5-2

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I. Origin and Diffusion of English (cont.)

B. Origins of English– Many influences in Britain – Gaelic, Latin,

German, French– German invasions (5th Cent. A.D.)

• post-Roman invasions – Angles, Jutes, Saxons• Germanic languages• England = Land of Angles

– Norman invasions (1066 A.D.)• French influence – official language (~300 yrs)

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Invasions of England

Figure 5-3

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II. Dialects of English

• Dialect = a regional variation of a language– Isogloss = a word-usage boundary– Standard language = a well-established

dialect– British Received Pronunciation (BRP) =

“proper English”

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II. Dialects of English (cont.)

A. Dialects In England– Dialects of Old English (“Beowulf”)

• Depended on distribution of German Invasions • Northumbrian – Northern England (Angles)• Kentish – SE England (Jutes)• West Saxon – N & W England (Saxons)• Mercian – central England• Old English → Middle English → Modern English

• Beowulf → Canterbury Tales → Shakespeare• Beowulf Spoken; Canterbury Spoken; Shakespeare Spoken• Brief History of Shakespeare• History of English Language

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English Dialects

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II. Dialects of English (cont.)

B. Major Regional Dialects In England– 5 main regions

– strong influence of London & universities

– impact of printing press, grammar books

– persistence of regional dialects• Northern, Midland & Southern

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II. Dialects of English (cont.)

C. Differences b/w British & American English– impact of Atlantic Ocean – isolation

– vocabulary • new items, encounters, inventions = new words

– spelling • Noah Webster’s dictionary & agenda

– pronunciation• less change in America than in England

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II. Dialects of English (cont.)

D. Dialects in the United States– Settlement in the eastern United States

• NE, SE, Mid-Atlantic

– Current differences in the eastern United States

• Northern, Midlands, Southern• isolation of rural areas• Ex: soft drinks

– Pronunciation differences• Southern, New England, “standard American”,

New York

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Dialects in the Eastern United States

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Soft Drink Differences