Introducing: English Thursday, 08 November 2018 jonathan peel SGS 2012

Where does English Language come from? French? Martian? Indian languages? Latin? German? Greek? Arabic? Ancient Minoan? Nordic Runes? jonathan peel SGS 2012

A language that is developing constantly… From 17th Century, Britain developed an Empire and the language grew… How many words of Indian origin can you think of that are used today? words of Indian origin jonathan peel SGS 2012

OK, but… That was when Britain was a conquering nation… What about the previous thousand years? Who invaded in 1066? Who invaded in 793? Who ruled in the 6th century? Who first invaded in 55/54 BC? jonathan peel SGS 2012

So, there’s a mix… Working from the end. What language did the Romans speak? Where did much of this language come from? Where did that language come from becomes our question… jonathan peel SGS 2012

Latin/Greek… Linear B? Much Latin derived from Ancient Greek… That language developed as a written language in around 800 BC. We can go further back… To 1500-1200BC! Linear B, used in the Minoan Empire… jonathan peel SGS 2012

OK, so let’s use some linear B. See if you can spell your name: jonathan peel SGS 2012

A syllabic language – used for admin! Simple signs indicate common nouns: jonathan peel SGS 2012

But, we still use it today in English! jonathan peel SGS 2012

Linear B - Greek After a great catastrophe, the Minoans lost the knowledge of writing. The Greeks rediscovered it some 500 years later and developed the first ALPHABET. Where does this word come from? jonathan peel SGS 2012

Lesson 2 You were asked a question at the end of the previous lesson… what did you find out? jonathan peel SGS 2012

Ancient Greek: Ancient Greek Alphabet jonathan peel SGS 2012

Words still used today… GREEK Original English translation ΙΠΠΟΣ Horse ΠΟΤΑΜΟΣ River ΑΓΓΕλΟΣ messenger ΝΑΥΣ ship ΠΟΙΗΤΗΣ craftsman ΔΙΑΡΡΟΙΑ You tell me…the actual Greek means “to flow through” jonathan peel SGS 2012

So how is this relevant to Year 7 at SGS? When writing is lost, what happens to communication? We have begun to see how language can develop over time. Some of you may know that the French for Horse Racing is “Hippisme” – where does this word come from? The English Equestrianism, comes from the Latin equus… jonathan peel SGS 2012

Meet Geoffrey Chaucer. By around 1400, English was emerging as a language. Latin was spoken and written in church and the court used French (why?), but the people were developing their own polyglot tongue. Chaucer wrote one of the first texts in the “middle English, and we will be reading a version of it this term. jonathan peel SGS 2012

Have a go: 1 Whan that Aprille, with hise shoures soote, 2 1   Whan that Aprille, with hise shoures soote, 2   The droghte of March hath perced to the roote 3   And bathed every veyne in swich licour, 4   Of which vertu engendred is the flour; 5   Whan Zephirus eek with his swete breeth 6   Inspired hath in every holt and heeth 7   The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne 8   Hath in the Ram his halfe cours yronne, 9   And smale foweles maken melodye, 10   That slepen al the nyght with open eye- 11   So priketh hem Nature in hir corages- 12   Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrimages    jonathan peel SGS 2012

Or: When April's gentle rains have pierced the drought /Of March right to the root, and bathed each sprout /Through every vein with liquid of such power It brings forth the engendering of the flower;/ When Zephyrus too with his sweet breath has blown /Through every field and forest, urging on/ The tender shoots, and there's a youthful sun, /His second half course through the Ram now run, /And little birds are making melody /And sleep all night, eyes open as can be / (So Nature pricks them in each little heart), /On pilgrimage then folks desire to start. jonathan peel SGS 2012

Now, in pairs… Make a table of the words used by Chaucer which are still in use today – there may be some slight alteration in spelling… How many more can you find? droghte drought run melodye jonathan peel SGS 2012