HAPPY-go-LUCKY ENGLISH
The Colourful Evolution of a Global Language
As a writer, I believe words are wonderful. As a Yorkshireman, I am blessed to have English as my mother tongue. As a historian, I am magnetically drawn toward the origins of the words I use. As a reader of my website, I hope that you too are
infected by my enthusiasm for the English language as a mode of human expression.
My research soon showed that the roots of
English are both humble and exciting. English is a beautiful and unique fusion of Teutonic and Latin tongues. Nowhere else in the Europe did this strange union taken place. Perhaps being an island made the chemistry possible. The initial Teutonic input came from Angles, Saxons, Jutes (c.450+AD) and Viking (c.800+AD) invaders. Then came 1066 with the Norman-French invasion and their vast vocabulary of Latin-based words.
This hapless vernacular language was
subsequently battered into shape by Chaucer, The Bible, and Shakespeare. During the Old and Middle English periods the linguistic rules of gender, inflexion and logic were broken or abandoned.
European scholars often dismiss English as a lazy, illogical tongue - fit only for the plebs. Being an island race, the British became
buccaneers who conquered other lands.
The English tongue then lashed many shores, but it was also a sponge which eagerly absorbed foreign words - as it still does.
In my teaching of this exciting topic, I adopt a fun approach - one of discovery by students - as we re-trace the early days and funny ways of the English-speaking people whose colourful evolution led to the creation of a global language.
I teach the whole topic mainly at weekend
courses around Britain. But it is highly flexible and any of the following elements are thrilling areas within themselves.
TOPICS INCLUDE
WELCOME: To each other and the topic. Debate plan: Purpose / Structure / Benefits.
INHABITANTS and INVADERS:
British Bedrock, Internal/External forces. Celtic/Roman Latin.
TEUTONIC TRIBES:
Angles, Saxons, Jutes, Vikings, and Danes. Goodbye gender and inflexion. Hello
alliteration and abridgement. Place names point to the roots of
English before these Pagans put pen to paper.
1066 AND ALL THAT:
Latin Lesson Two; Shotgun Wedding of Anglo-Saxon Ruffian and Norman-Latin Lady.
The unique fusion of Teutonic and Latin enriched the English vocabulary.
MIDDLE ENGLISH:
This wayward off-spring was reared by Chaucer, Caxton and blessed by The Bible. William Shakespeare
then transformed this vernacular tongue into
an artistic language.
A - Z of ENGLISH:
Relaxed reflexion of ground covered. Plus the trade in words; Idiotic Idioms
Rule O.K; Scholars: "It's Greek to them". English
Dictionaries were produced by odd-ball eccentrics.
THE LEECH LANGUAGE:
Sponge tongue laps up foreign words. American/ Hollywood
films project English around the world.
TO BOLDLY GO:
English in the Age of Star Trek as new words explode in a chain reaction of
global lingo.
