- Now that you understand how the English Language evolved, share with us some words into which you have gained new insights (about their origin, their form, etc.)
Courtship: the act of wooing in love
- The word originated from the Elizabethan era in the 1970s. Courtship is made up of two words court + ship, literally meaning "the behaviour of a courtier". It was only from the 1590s when its definition was "paying court to a woman with intention of marriage," like how we use the word today.
Compound(n): An enclosed group of buildings
- The word originated from the Middle East word compounen, to the Middle French componre, to the Latin componere. It could also have originated from the Malay word kampong ("A group of buildings"). The original usage was for "the enclosure for a factory or settlement of Europeans in the East," and later used for South African diamond miners' camps in 1893, and finally for large generic fenced-in spaces in 1946.
Tycoon: A wealthy and powerful business person
- The word originated from Japan in 1857 and was used as a title for the shogun of Japan. In Japanese the word taikun means "great lord or prince". In 1861, its meaning was "an important person" and was later on specifically restricted to businessmen during the period of post-WWI.
- In what ways is Elizabethan English different from the English we use today? Discuss some new terms and grammars that exist in the various Englishes in the world today.
In terms of vocabulary, the English we use today consists of many words which have been incorporated from many other languages as we are more culturally diverse and tolerant today than in the past. During Shakespeare's times, there was constant debates over the appropriateness of adopting words from other languages, though Shakespeare used many seldom used words in his works.
In terms of grammar, the rules in the past were less strict than today. To allow for a sentence to flow naturally and rhythmically, writers could change the order of words and phrases within a sentence freely, unlike modern English.
The Elizabethan era was before the Great Vowel Shift, which was a period in England's history where there was a huge change in the pronunciation of the English language between 1350 and 1500. As a result, many words are now pronounced differently as compared to Elizabethan English.
Hi Ivan,
ReplyDeleteWow, that's a really interesting post you have here! Actually, my knowledge of the language in the Elizabethan Era was painfully limited, and the only differences I knew of was the use of 'thy', 'thou' and a few other words. I didn't know that there were also words that have different meanings then as compared to now! :D Also, I find it quite interesting that many words were pronounced differently in the past as compared to the present. I am quite puzzled as to the reason of the Great Vowel Shift. What may have prompted this change? Was this even allowed? This is an interesting fact, and I think I'll do some additional research on it when I have the time to do so. :)
All in all, thanks for your short but intriguing post. It is indeed interesting to know that the language in the past was significantly different as compared to the present. :)
Cheers,
Roystan
Yes, I agree with roystan. Your post is extremely informative and presents an interesting aspect of the English Language. You have evidently done much research on the etymology of the words you have described and listed above.
ReplyDeleteLike Roysta, I had extremely little knowledge of the etymology of some English words today that seem common but have unique origins. I knew that some pronouns, such as "thy, thee, thou," were in common use back then. I also noticed the remarkable difference in phrasing and descriptive metaphors when compared to today's english. I am curious as to know why the use of certain words have evolved and changed over the years. Why was the original meaning changed, adapted into a new one? How did it come about? Was it a prominent writer or playwright who popularised the use of words in new manners (e.g. Shakespeare, Dickens?)
I also feel it would be better if you could add a personal touch to the otherwise dry information. Which origin do you think is more likely? Why? Why do you think many words from other languages were incorporated into the English Language? Was it because the British Empire conquered many lands and spread English, allowing the language to mix with native languages of the conquered lands? These questions are just some food for thought.
Daniel Tan Chee Hian
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