Early Modern English Syntax

Early Modern English syntax was generally marked by more flexibility than today.

SVO order was regular in independent and dependent declarative clauses.

SOV was acceptable for pronoun objects and for emphasis (as the law should them direct, Richard that dead is).

VSO was used in questions and conditional statements (how hast thou offended?, Were he my kinsman ...).

Imperatives often had expressed subject (go, my servant, to the kitchen; do thou but call my resolution wise).

OSV or OVS were used to emphasize object.

Features of Early ModE vocabulary:

The transition from MidE to ModE began in the 16^th century when several factors came together to produce a period of extraordinary progress in the development of the language. During the Renaissance period a great revival of interest in learning swept over England and much of Europe, leading people to become more aware of the importance of language as they studied the writings of the past. Furthermore, many words from other languages (especially Latin and Greek) were introduced into English as a result of this growing interest in the writings of antiquity.

Until the 16^th century, French continued to be the prestigious literary language, and Latin remained the international language for serious schlarly work for some centuries afterwards. However, the influence of other languages gradually diminished as the English language continued to develop.

That time was also the beginning of the Great Geographical Discoveries era, the increase in contacts with other counties. Seafarers brought many new words borrowed from England’s allies and foes in the seas (Spanish, Dutch and others). The emigrants brought English in the African, American and Australian colonies, thus marking the new era of English outside England.

Below you will find some inkhorn terms (an affectedly learned borrowings from another language, esp. Greek or Latin) and other early modern English borrowings:

Latin: ability, dedicate, education, extinguish, reciprocal, scientific;

Greek: anonymous, catastrophe, criterion, democracy;

Some rejected inkhorn terms (those which eventually came out of use, ot were replaced by other simpler words): deruncinate – `to weed' (cf. eradicate), adminiculation – `aid', cohibit – `to restrain' (cf. inhibit), expede – `to accomplish' (cf. impede), demit – `to send away' (cf. submit).

Date: 2015-01-29; view: 1401