Feature

Chronicle of evolution of English Language

Mohammad Shahidul Islam

The easy English language we speak today has been filtered in many ways down the centuries. Nevertheless, English language is considered a royal language. Many writers, poets, dramatists, translators, essayists and philosophers have contributed in many ways to shape this unique language. And the process is unending as English language gets richer every year with new words and phrases adding to the lexicon.

Here is a short take on the chronicles of English language evolution:

When Roman Emperor Julius Caesar marched into Britain in BC 54-5, the 'Celtic' tribes resided in the British Isles. Their Celtic languages still continue to exist as 'Gaelic' in Scotland and Ireland, 'Welsh', in Wales, and 'Manx' in the Isle of Man, as well as 'Breton' in France. The Romans brought Latin to Britain, which was part of the Roman Empire for over 400 years. But early English did not develop principally from Latin. So it is unlike French, Spanish and Italian, which did come directly from Latin. 'Early English' was the language of tribes who invaded from the East, from what is now Germany. They spoke different vernaculars of a 'Germanic' language, from which modern German urbanized. This explains why German and English are often similar, as many of their words urbanized from the same original language.

The Vikings marched into Britain in 878 AD from Scandinavia, bringing with them the Norse language; nevertheless this was akin to the old English or Anglo-Saxon language already used. The dramatic appearance of the Norman army from France, led by King William the Conqueror in 1066, and the defeat of the English King Harold at the Battle of Hastings, brought very big changes to English life. The Normans brought with them the Old French language, which became the language of the Royal Court, and the ruling and business class.

By about 1200, the Kingdoms of England and France had ceased to be one unit. The use of Old English came back, but with many French words added. This language is called Middle English, the language of the poet Chaucer (about 1340-1400). He has been called the best English rhymester before Shakespeare. It is difficult for even English-speakers to read and comprehend his writings well. Here are the opening lines from the General Prologue of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales:,

"Whan that Aprille with his shoures swote
The droghte of Marche hath perced to the rote..."

These two lines are in the modern English:
"When April with his sweet showers has struck to the roots the dryness of March.." i.e, when the April showers of rain have gone right down to the roots of plants which have been dried up during March!

This 'Middle English' was very different in different parts of the country, and of course travel was limited in those days. But another big upheaval was coming - the printing press. Just as radio, television, video, and computers, have changed communication in the present time, so did printing after about 1500 AD. Now there was a common language in print, as well as access to the old languages of Latin and Greek.

At that time emerged the 'Renaissance' in Europe - a time of great advancement of learning and culture. By this time, English was not very dissimilar from the English used today. And the most famous person to write in English in this period was William Shakespeare (1564-1616). His insights into human nature, and his gift for using words, make him possibly the most famous playwright of all time! Having in his hands such a new rich language must have helped him too.

Shakespeare bestowed many phrases and sayings on the English language, which English speakers still use every day. Often, they do not realize these words came from Shakespeare's plays or poems! Like:

'A rose by any other name would smell as sweet'
"If music be the food of love, play on and give me excess."

[Twelfth Night]
"Of one who loved not wisely but too well." [Othello]
"All our yesterdays.." "Out, out brief candle." [Macbeth]
"To be or not to be..."

At almost the same time as Shakespeare, came the printing of a book which had had an even greater effect on society and culture - the 'Authorized' or 'King James' translation of the Bible in 1611. For almost the first time, anyone who could read had access to the Bible in his or her own language, and in words which were understood without difficulty. An interesting thing to add here is that the Christian society in any country of the world even in Bangladesh knows English better than other religion only because of the translation of the Bible.

The splendour of the language in this translation has never been equaled. Though today language has changed, it is difficult in places to understand, even for native English speakers, many people still use it. And like Shakespeare, many phrases and quotations from it have become part of the English language. People often use them without knowing they come from the Bible. For example:

'turn the other cheek'
'go a second mile'
'Straight and narrow'
'A Job's comforter'
'Don't cast your pearls before swine'
'the love of money is the root of all evil'

With communication, travel, radio and television, English has undergone changes. So in Britain now, because of American and Australian TV programs they use many Australian and American English words. And words from many other languages - French, German, Spanish, Arabic, even Bengali - have been borrowed. So English continues to change and develop with hundreds of new words arriving every year. For better or worse, it has truly become the world's international language. It has become the language of science, air traffic control, the world of computers, and the Internet. And in many countries, where there are other competing languages, English has been chosen as a common second language.

Why one should know English? The question is silly and goes redundant. The primary reason to learn the international English language, of course, is for the pure love of language and literature itself, a corridor through the beauty, the emotion, and the universal themes that have linked writers as diverse as John Milton, William Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Walt Whitman, T.S. Eliot, Toni Morrison or Booker Laureate Chinua Achebe.

(Mohammad Shahidul Islam, studied English Literature at Chittagong University, works in National Tourism Organization)