自考英语词汇学 第二章 英语词汇的发展史

Chapter 2 The Development of the English Vocabulary第二章 英语词汇的发展史1. The Indo-European Language Family 印欧语系的谱系关系识记：印欧语系的各个分支和各个分支的主要语言Armenian (亚美尼亚语) –existing till nowAlbanian （阿尔巴尼亚语） –existing till now Prussian 普鲁士语 Lithuanian 立陶宛语 Polish 波兰语 Balto-Slavic(波罗的海语系) Czech 捷克语 Bulgarian 保加利亚语 Eastern set:Slovenian 西洛文尼亚语Russian 俄罗斯语Persian 波斯语Bengali 孟加拉语印度伊朗语系Romany 吉普赛语Scottish 苏格兰语Celtic 凯尔特语 Irish 爱尔兰语Welsh 威尔士语Breton 法国布里多尼语 Portuguese 葡萄牙语Spanish 西班牙语Italic 意大利语系 French 法语Italian 意大利语Rumanian 罗马尼亚语 Western Set :Hellenic 希腊语 Greek 希腊语Norwegian 挪威语Icelandic 冰岛语Danish 丹麦语Germanic 日耳曼语 Swedish 瑞典语German 德语Dutch 荷兰语Flemish 弗兰德语English 英语2. A historical overview of English vocabulary英语发展的历史回顾考点：英语词汇发展的三个阶段：古英语词汇，中古英语词汇，现代英语词汇及其特点Inhabitants of the Island:Celts(Celtic) – Roman Legions(Latin，55) – German Tribes(Anglo-Saxon，410)-Norwegian and Danish Vikings (Scandinavian，900) – Norman（French, 1066）①Old English 古英语（450-1150）(Anglo-Saxon)Character:1. Latin speaking Roman missionaries under St. Augustine came to spread Christianity at the end of the 6th century. The introduction of Christianity had a great impact on English vocabulary.(New Words: abbot男修道院长, candle, altar圣坛, amen, apostle使徒)2. Didn’t borrow as heavily as later, they changed meaning of native words, the common practice was to create new words by combining two native words.（e.g. handbook）3. Many Scandinavian words came into the English language. Many of the words are alike or interchangeably.4. Old English has a vocabulary of 50000-60000 words, which was highly inflected. Nouns, Pronouns, Adj., verbs, Adv, had complex endings or vowel changes, differ greatly from what we use today. 内部高度曲折，有复杂的词尾原音变化。

②Middle English （1150-1500）中古英语Character:1.English were defeated, reduced to the status of an inferior people like, Frenchbecame the polite speech. English, Latin and French existing simultaneously for over a century.2.Between 1250-1500, 9000 words of French origin poured into English.75% ofthem are still in use today. 2500 Dutch words found their way to English asBritain had trade relationship with the Low Countries. (荷兰、比利时、卢森堡) 3.Retained much fewer inflections. Endings of Nouns and Adj. making distinctionof number, case and often of gender lost their distinctive forms. The same is true of verb. If we say Old English was a language of full endings, Middle English was one of leveled endings. 内部曲折形式少了很多，标志名词和形容词的数，格，性词尾形式已经不再明显了，动词情况也是一样。

如果古英语尽是词尾的话，那么中古英语的词尾已经去了一半。

②Modern English 现代英语（1500-up to now）1.Subdivided into Early English(1500-1700) and Late English(1700-Now)2.Borrowed heavily from Latin during 1500-1700 known as Renaissance whichis a new upsurge of leaning ancient Greek and Roman classics, over 10000new words entered English Language, many of which were taken from Latin and Greek by scholars who wanted to replace the forms earlier adoptedform French.3.English absorbed words from all major languages of the world.(Experienced by Bourgeois Revolution and industrial Revolution, rose to be a greateconomic power and began to stretch tentacles to every corner of globe)4.More words are created by word formation since the world has seenbreathtaking advances in science and technology.5.Word endings were mostly lost with just a few exceptions. English hasevolved from a synthetic language to the present analytic language.英语从古英语的综合型语言变成了现在的分析型语言。

3.Growth of Present-day English Vocabulary 当代英语词汇的发展状况考点：当代英语发展的现状New words sweep in at a rate much faster than any other period in the history. Three main sources of new words: Rapid development of science and technology; Social economic and political changes; Influence of other cultures and languages.4.Modes of Vocabulary Development 词汇发展的方式考点：词汇发展的3个主要方式创造新词，旧词新意，借用外来语。

各种方式的地位和作用①Creation 创造新词: By using the existing materials, namely roots, affixes andother elements. Most important way of vocabulary expansion.②Semantic Changes 旧词新意：Old form takes a new meaning to meet the newneeds. Enrich the vocabulary by creating more new usages of the words.(not increase the number of words)③Borrowing 借用外来词：Vital role in the development of vocabulary, particularin earlier times.。