Linguistics
What is the name of the ancient ancestor of most European languages?
Proto Indo-European
In which century did the Anglo-Saxon invasion of Britain begin?
the 5th century
What are the approximate years of the Middle English period?
1100-1500
When approximately does the Modern English Period begin?
1500-
Which language family within the Indo-European languages does English belong to?
Germanic (west-germanic)
how many percent of present day english vocabulary has an aglo-saxon origin?
1%
In what year did the battle of Hastings take place? and who fought against whom?
the year 1066. A battle between the Normans led by William the Conqueror and the Anglo-Saxons led by King Harold Godwinson
What is the name used by linguistics to describe the change in the pronunciation of vowels in English that takes place in the Early Modern English Period?
the Great Vowel Shift
what is the name of the method used by linguistics to trace and group the origin and history of languages?
the comparative method
How many percent of the words in present day spoken English is assessed to be of anglo-saxon origin?
50%
How did the Norman Invasion affect the status of the English language?
English became the language of the underclass and French the official main language and language of the upper class and aristocracy
What is the main cause of the integration of many new loan words into English in the Modern English period from app 1600 - 1900?
British Colonization and Imperialism
What did the initial consonant sound of P in latin and greek turn into in germanic languages?
F (pater-father, pro-for etc...)
what is the name of the most well-known Old English poem?
Beowulf
name at least two events that played an important role in the re-emergence of English as the main language in Britain:
the loss of Normandy in 1204
the Black Death, 1348-51
the Hundred Years War, 1337-1453
What is the name of the British playwright who invented and introduced at least 1700 new words in English?
William Shakespeare, 1564-1616
What are the three main language families of the European branch of Indo-European languages?
Romance languages (french, italian, spanish), Slavic languages (Russian, Ukraine, Polish) and Germanic (German, English, Scandinavian languages)
in which centuries was Britain subject to Viking attacks and later colonization?
app 800-1100
Name at least three areas in which French vocabulary made its way into the English language:
government, administration, church, religion, law, army, navy, fashion, furniture, art, learning, medicine
What is the Aztec name for testicles?
Avocado