This term paper is going to examine the occurrence and the influence of French words on English language. The French language has always played a significant role in English. According to Scheler, 38 per cent of English words are of French origin. This high amount leads to the result that almost half of the English vocabulary are of French origin. Due to this striking high set of statistics, the reasons for this will be examined in this paper. Thus, the main aim of this paper is to investigate the impact of French language on English language during the medieval period. This fact has been particularly pronounced over the last decades. Thus, French had influenced the English lexicon a lot due to the Norman invasion. Where two languages exist side by side for a long time, a huge delivery of words from one language to the other is inevitable. A lot of Old English words were replaced by borrowed items, from the French language. Hence, French remnants can be found a lot in English language. In certain cases, there are striking similarities between both languages, which is interesting to analyse.
First, it starts with a short introduction of the historical background from the French influence on the English language. French influence is direct and observable upon the vocabulary. There will be some examples of borrowed word fields. Regardingly, derivational affixes from Old French into Middle English play a leading role in this term paper as well. In addition, the focus will also be set on the phonological difference between Norman French and Parisian French and on their influence on English language. The development of these words and their loan into the English language are enormous. Throughout the investigation, one can assume that French had influenced English the most in terms of lexicon, vocabulary and suffixation. If William the Conqueror had not invaded England in 1066, the vocabulary of English language would have looked very different. There would have existed a lot of Old English vocabulary in present day English.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The Role of French in England 1066
3. The Background of French Loanwords in Middle English
3.1. The Influence of French Loanwords in Middle English
3.2. The French Hybrids in English at Middle English Time
4. The Realization of French Derivational Affixes in Middle English
5. The Phonological Difference between Norman French and Parisian French and their Influence on English Language
6. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This paper aims to investigate the profound impact of the French language on English during the Middle English period, specifically focusing on lexical borrowing, morphological changes, and phonological influences resulting from the Norman invasion.
- Historical context of the Norman invasion in 1066.
- Mechanisms and patterns of French loanword integration into English.
- Development and adaptation of French derivational affixes.
- Phonological distinctions between Norman and Parisian French.
- Analysis of linguistic hybridization during the Middle English era.
Excerpt from the Book
3. The Background of French Loanwords in Middle English
According to Durkin, many words in the Middle English period “can be shown to come directly from French, with French the main determiner of the word's form and meaning in English [...]“ (Durkin 2014: 236). It has been estimated that about 10,000 French words came into English during the Midle English period (cf. Crystal 2003: 46). These words are terms used in “government, law, learning, art and fashion, food and religion“ (Baugh & Cable 2002: 169-173; Nielsen 2005: 101-105). The borrowing of French into Middle English happened in two phases, an earlier and a later stage. The first phase occurs between 1066 and 1250 and the second between 1250 and 1800. The first phase consists of only 1,000 borrowed words, whereas the second phase consists of 10,000 borrowed words (ibid.). In the first stage, there were words borrowed as “baron, noble, dame, servant, messenger, feast, minstrel, juggler, largess“ (Baugh 2002: 168). These borrowed words have become familiar with the lower class through contact with a French-speaking nobility.
Regardless, the second phase has been different since, in this phase, the French speakers adopted English. Therefore, at that time period, there was a very strong influence of French on Middle English due to the addition of French words into the English language by French speaking people, such as “gaol/jail“ (cf. Gelderen 2006: 99). Jail “came into English in two forms, jaiole from Old French and gayole from Anglo-Norman French gaole“ (OED). Finally, the spellings gaol and jail both have survived until today (ibid.).
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter outlines the significant role French played in shaping the English lexicon and establishes the research aim to examine this linguistic impact during the medieval period.
2. The Role of French in England 1066: This chapter details the historical background of the Norman invasion and explains how French became the language of the governing classes in England.
3. The Background of French Loanwords in Middle English: This chapter analyzes the scale and phases of French lexical borrowing, categorized by historical periods and societal domains.
3.1. The Influence of French Loanwords in Middle English: This chapter examines the specific lexical items adopted into English, including the replacement of native Old English words with French counterparts in various fields.
3.2. The French Hybrids in English at Middle English Time: This chapter explores the phenomenon of linguistic hybridization, where native English roots were combined with French derivational elements.
4. The Realization of French Derivational Affixes in Middle English: This chapter investigates how specific French suffixes, such as -ion, -ation, and -ment, were integrated into English morphological structures.
5. The Phonological Difference between Norman French and Parisian French and their Influence on English Language: This chapter distinguishes between the two French varieties and explains how these phonological differences contributed to different loanword outcomes in English.
6. Conclusion: This chapter summarizes the historical and linguistic consequences of the French influence, reinforcing the long-term impact on English vocabulary, spelling, and grammar.
Keywords
Middle English, French influence, Norman invasion, Loanwords, Lexicon, Morphology, Derivational affixes, Norman French, Parisian French, Linguistic borrowing, Hybridization, Etymology, Historical linguistics, Vocabulary, Phonology.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper examines the significant influence of the French language on the English language during the Middle English period, specifically looking at how the Norman invasion altered English vocabulary and structure.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
The themes include the historical context of 1066, the mechanics of lexical borrowing, the adaptation of French derivational affixes, and the phonological differences between Norman and Parisian French.
What is the main research goal?
The goal is to investigate how French contact during the medieval period led to the extensive incorporation of loanwords and the transformation of the English lexicon.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The author employs a historical-linguistic approach, utilizing literary evidence and existing etymological research to trace the influence of French on Middle English morphology and phonology.
What does the main body of the work cover?
It covers the historical background of the Norman Conquest, the classification of loanwords by domain, the analysis of hybrid words, the integration of specific French suffixes, and a comparative study of French dialectal influences on English spelling and pronunciation.
Which keywords characterize this paper?
Key terms include Middle English, French influence, loanwords, morphology, derivational affixes, and Norman French.
How did the distinction between Norman and Parisian French affect English?
The paper explains that words borrowed from Norman French often show different phonological paths compared to those from Parisian French, which is crucial for identifying the timeline and origin of specific loanwords.
What is the significance of the "hybrid" examples provided in the text?
Hybrid examples demonstrate that the influence of French was not limited to direct borrowing but also affected English morphology, where foreign affixes were combined with native English roots.
- Quote paper
- Bahar Ilk (Author), 2014, What Influence did French have on English During the Middle English Period?, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/317759
