230478 Early Modern English (S) (SoSe 2017)

Early Modern English

The Tudor dynasty brought England a relatively long period of peace and prosperity. This led to an incipient national culture of fashion, leisure-time activities in the areas of dance, music, sports, theater, and reading. Furthermore, as the effects of printing became more widespread, the notion of a standard, which had been initiated in the late ME period with the rise of London, was reinforced. Under the Stuarts (in England) religious dissent, already increasingly virulent under the Tudors and an expression of socio-economic change, led to the violent dislocations of the Civil War and to further changes in the language.

In examining the linguistic development of English in the 16th and 17th centuries we will look first at the most wide-spread and influential reading of the period, viz. examples from the Bible in its English translation(s). This will serve as a key to English in one particular domain (religion) and will be based on the language of Tyndale’s early 16th century translation but extended by comparison with the King James (or Authorized) Version of the early 17th century. We may continue this thread by adding an examination of 17th century Puritan writing, such as, for example, Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress. An observation of secular writing in the domain of political thought begins with More, goes on to some of the writers of the Civil War period such as Hobbes, and ends with Locke. A short sampling of scientific writing may include Bacon, Newton, and Boyle. A selection from belles lettres starts with ballads, moves on to Jonson and Shakespeare, continues with Milton, and finishes with a look at Restoration writing. Each of these strands serves to show religious, social, cultural, economic, and political aspects of the development of England as well as to provide material for examining linguistic change. Furthermore, a judicious choice of regional and “everyday” (diaries, letters, courtroom testimony) texts can serve to give us some idea of the geographical and social diversity which characterized the language. This exploration of Early Modern English is based on written texts. Nevertheless, a brief look at changes in pronunciation will also be added.

Participants are expected to present one of the texts in class. This involves providing the necessary background on the text: its historical context, author(s), and addressees. Diatype and dialect information, such as function, medium, style, and field, on the one hand, and a characterization of its grammar, vocabulary, spelling, and usage features, on the other, also belongs to this.

Requirements for participation, required level

The participants should be familiar with the content of the basic classes in linguistics.

Bibliography

A literature / reading list will be provided.