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Chapter 2: Pre-Old English

  • Jeannette K. Marsh
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Volume 2 Old English
This chapter is in the book Volume 2 Old English

Abstract

The topic of this chapter is the pre-historic stage of English as it developed between the 5th-century Germanic migrations to Britain and its first attestations in the 7th century. The beginnings of Old English are situated with respect to the language’s closest West Germanic relatives as well as to its Indo- European linguistic heritage. The phonological system is traced from Indo-European through Proto-Germanic and West Germanic stages with a focus on those innovations that occurred during the pre-Old English period. Brief descriptions of Indo-European and Proto-Germanic morphological structure provide the basis of the sketch of pre-Old English morphology, while both phonological and morphological changes that later obscured these systems in the early development of English are illustrated. The chapter ends with a brief discussion of the development of pre-Old English syntax.

Abstract

The topic of this chapter is the pre-historic stage of English as it developed between the 5th-century Germanic migrations to Britain and its first attestations in the 7th century. The beginnings of Old English are situated with respect to the language’s closest West Germanic relatives as well as to its Indo- European linguistic heritage. The phonological system is traced from Indo-European through Proto-Germanic and West Germanic stages with a focus on those innovations that occurred during the pre-Old English period. Brief descriptions of Indo-European and Proto-Germanic morphological structure provide the basis of the sketch of pre-Old English morphology, while both phonological and morphological changes that later obscured these systems in the early development of English are illustrated. The chapter ends with a brief discussion of the development of pre-Old English syntax.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Table of Contents V
  3. Abbreviations VII
  4. Chapter 1: Introduction 1
  5. Chapter 2: Pre-Old English 8
  6. Chapter 3: Old English: Overview 32
  7. Chapter 4: Phonology 50
  8. Chapter 5: Morphology 73
  9. Chapter 6: Syntax 100
  10. Chapter 7: Semantics and Lexicon 125
  11. Chapter 8: Pragmatics and Discourse 140
  12. Chapter 9: Dialects 160
  13. Chapter 10: Language Contact: Latin 187
  14. Chapter 11: English Contact: Norse 202
  15. Chapter 12: Standardization 220
  16. Chapter 13: Literary Language 236
  17. Chapter 14: Early Textual Resources 254
  18. Index 271
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110525304-002

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Table of Contents V
  3. Abbreviations VII
  4. Chapter 1: Introduction 1
  5. Chapter 2: Pre-Old English 8
  6. Chapter 3: Old English: Overview 32
  7. Chapter 4: Phonology 50
  8. Chapter 5: Morphology 73
  9. Chapter 6: Syntax 100
  10. Chapter 7: Semantics and Lexicon 125
  11. Chapter 8: Pragmatics and Discourse 140
  12. Chapter 9: Dialects 160
  13. Chapter 10: Language Contact: Latin 187
  14. Chapter 11: English Contact: Norse 202
  15. Chapter 12: Standardization 220
  16. Chapter 13: Literary Language 236
  17. Chapter 14: Early Textual Resources 254
  18. Index 271
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