These notes explore Language change in relation to AQA's latest specification for English Language (A-level 7702). Other topics are available individually or to purchase as a bundle.
Language change:
Old English (3rd Century)
Middle English (11th Century)
Early Modern English (15th Century)
Modern English (late 18th Century)
History of the English Language -:
1. Anglo-Saxon - Anglo-Saxons and Vikings bought new words to the English language. German
words adopted were more general (e.g. house). Vikings then brought in more violent language
(e.g. sword and axe).
2. Shakespeare - Shakespeare invented over 2000 new words and phrases like eyeball, anchovy
and puppy.
3. The English of Science - In the 17th Century, new science words were being created like acid,
ovary and tonsil.
4. The Age of the Dictionary - Lexicographers started creating the Dictionary of the English
Language to ensure that everyone spelt words correctly and knew their correct definition. Dr.
Samuel Johnson produced the first English Dictionary in 1755. He maintained that trying to
control the English Language was like "trying to lash the wind."
5. American English - Some American words were actually English to start with.
6. Internet English - The expansion of internet language brought abbreviations like 'lol' and 'btw'.
Reasons for and processes of language change - New words enter our language for a number of
different reasons (e.g. teenagers, technology, politics etc.).
New words are always being created - this is known as coinage. The new word itself is
recognised as a neologism.
1) Borrowing - Many of the words we use in everyday language are borrowings or 'loan' words from
other languages (e.g. 'zero' comes from the Arabic word meaning 'empty').
2) Scientific progress - Advances in medicine, science and technology cause many new words and
phrases to be invented (e.g. In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) is a term that developed in the 1970s due to
developments in the field of fertility treatment).
3) Affixation - Words can also be created by adding a new prefix or suffix to an existing word.
Many words in the English language have been added by adding Latin or Greek prefixes or
suffixes.
For example, common Latin prefixes include 'pre' and 'post'.
Common Greek prefixes include 'anti' and 'hyper'.
4) Compounding - Sometimes a new word is created by combining two separate words to create one
word (e.g. 'hand' can be combined with 'bag' to give us 'handbag').
5) Blending - This is when two separate words are merged together (e.g. 'brunch' is a blend of
'breakfast' and 'lunch').
6) Conversion - Changing a word from one word class to another.
Many words that started off as nouns can now also be used as verbs (e.g. a text = to text).
7) Eponym - Some words come from names of people and places.
For example, some terms come from the name of their inventor or brand (e.g. 'hoover' is often
used over its original term 'vacuum').
The name of something after a place is called a toponym (e.g. Champagne).
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