Empire and Language: Interconnected

A. The Word assasin derives from the Arabic Word hashashin.

B. The English lexicón is extremely big since it takes root in many languages from around the world. Many words can be introduced into the English language and son be widely accepted and recognized. Over one million words are in today’s dictionaries.

C. I recognized various prefixes and suffixes due to their comon use in the English language. Examples are: anti, dis, multi, pre, super, and re. Also, I recognized suffixes such as able, ize, ate, and ive.

D. Neologistic borrowings entered the English language in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries because that was the time were technology and culture began to widely spread throughout Britain and the United States. Also, the wars that went on at that time created very specific terminology which included neologisms borrowed from other languages. Also, the immigration of people from different parts of the world resulted in a mixture of the languages and enlarged the English language. Scientific advances also forced the English language to borrow terms from other parts of the world.

E. The relationship between language and empire consists in their interdependence. Above all, it is crucial to mention that an empire will most likely be very unified and share a lot of traditions among its territories. One of the most important of these traditions is language. Language will maintain an empire communicated and united. It will also set an identity for the people to be identified with and will create a sense of belonging to the inhabitants of the empire. Finally, a stron linguistic policy will keep an empire under control.

F. I believe language still affects language in the twenty-first century because people identify a language to a certain region in particular. Also, peole can tell where an individual is from depending of their language. However, this relationship is not as strong as it was before since languages have spread all over the world to different regions and have combined with other languages. 

 

English by the Influential

                English was now becoming the most influential language of the world.  It was not only spoken in developed and wealthy nations, but also in third-world countries. I found it very interesting to observe how British individuals began to demand that English had to be taught by schools and other educational institutions in India. Not only did they want this to be done, but that a law be established that forced the institutions of teach the language. It is impressive to see how a few British individuals began dominating an entire country. This began to reflect the imperialist actions that the United Kingdom was taking. The first step towards complete domination over a country is get them to accept and implement your language and your customs. The implementation of the English language in India was a breakthrough in British colonial actions. As the narrator says it, “English would be the imperial language of India” (The Adventure of English). The only way the British were able to do this was through their political power in India.

            The natives of the country began reacting against what was to them an unjust action. The narrator of the film accurately states, “Some feel it is totally patronizing and still do” (The Adventure of English). People in India did not like to have to speak a language that was imposed to them by force. In addition, the British began building buildings from which they worked in India to make progress in their political aspirations in the country. It is said that “from here, the British, through English, ran India” (The Adventure of English). The English language gave the British a clear powre in a foreign country that not only allowed the to take control on their economy and trade, but it allowed them to impose their social customs in a completely different environment, which would extend the impact of British culture in the world.

 

 

  

An Age of Change

                The English language now came to a point in which it started being controversial. Not only was it the dominating language in several parts of the world, but it was the language in which many publications were written in. Moreover, it was the main way in which knowledge was transferred. Among the main thinkers of the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries was John Locke. He stated, “If the definition of words could be agreed and misunderstandings avoided, peace would follow” (The Adventure of English). I agree with Locke in the sense that most misunderstandings occur because of the different use of the same language. If people are able to understand one another, they will probably work their differences out and stay out of conflict. Newton introduced several terms that were used to describe scientific investigations. I believe that this refining of the English language was essential so scientific concepts could be transmitted accurately and precisely. Newton redefined English for his benefit, but it really was a benefit for all.

            Jonathan Swift hated the “vulgar liberties” that individuals were taking with the English language. I found it surprising to see that the critics to the English language began centuties ago and are not a new thing. I agree with Swift in the sense that English should be standardized and should have clear gramatical rules. This is essential for its well-functioning. Samuel Johnson created one of the most famous dictionary. However, one of his major flaws was that he did not include words that he did not understand or that related to science. I disagree with him in this aspect, since these words are essential for certain knowledge to be expressed appropiately. Austen had a very particular viwe of the English language, since she thought of it as a way to judge one’s social status and determine his social acceptability. I found this very interesting since it represents another way, besides knowledge, in which the English language was being used. This greatly influenced social life at the time. Another great thinker of the era, Thomas Paine, believed that “simpler language could carry precise thought” (The Adventure of English). This is completely true. I belive that the more complex a language gets, the more it can express, but thee fewer it can be understood. William Wordsworth agreed with Paine in this aspect, since he thought that special poetic diction was not needed for a message to be transmitted. So long as the individual understood what is said, nothing else is needed. Finally, William Cobbet summarizes the importance of English in daily life. Without English, one will not be able to acquire sufficient knowledge to progress in life.

            Some of the problems with the theories deal with the fact that the English language is and will continue to change. English will not remain static and will continue a process of evolution that does not allow English to be completely standardized. In addition, English will differ depending on the región it is spoken in. Therefore, several dialects will begin branching off the language and keep creting misunderstandings and several slangs. The thinkers’ logical thinking Works only for their present, not necessarily for the future of the language. In the present, we continue to view language as the main way to acquire knowledge. However, we view our language as a manner of communicating and being able come to agreements. Each one views their language differently depending on how it was taught to them and how they use it.

 

The Adventure of English. Dir. Nigel Wattis. Perf. Amanda Root and David Gwillim. LWT, 2003. Youtube. 19 Sept. 2011. Web. 22 Jan. 2013.

 

   

Trying to Standardize American English

 

            English had gotten the impulse it needed to dominate regions all throughout the world. The problem now was completely different. Although general English was spoken in many portions of the world, the dialects spoken were very different among them. The pronunciation was one of the main issues since inhabitants of a certain region would pronounce a world very differently than others. It is impressive to observe how this lack of regulation created ambiguity on which was the correct way to say a word or even to write it. From a prescriptivist point of view, this is terrible. Therefore, Mr. Webster decided to take the initiative to construct one of the first mediums to standardize English. The narrator says that “the dictionary was an attempt to straighten out idiomatic English pronunciation” (The Story of English). This attempted to solve the dialect issue and certainly helped to establish a “right way” of pronouncing words.

            However, there was still lots of diversity with regards to terms being used by people from different regions. For example, in the 1900s, the narrator depicts that “spending was so much a part of frontier life now that many Americans did not just say yes, they said you bet” (The Story of English). I was surprised to realize that all these new terms came from betting games such as poker. This slight difference did not seem too bad for me at first. But, think about all the differences that there are. When combining them, you nearly form other languages within the English language. I can relate to this, since I was taught the traditional usage of the English language. Therefore, when I go to cities in the Middle West region of the United States or to the deep south of the country, I can barely understand some of the terms they use and their pronunciation. I believe differences in a language are very important since they are what distinguish certain regions from one another and are part of their identity. Nevertheless, it is crucial to standardize the language and have an accurate and precise regulation of the language for those people who wish to learn the language and are not part of one of those regions.   

African American Influence: Shaping the English Language

            Although the English language was first spoken by white families in Britain and the United States, it contains many words and terms that come from African Americans. The narrator depicted that New York “embraced the migrating Black culture in music, in dance, and in language” (The Story of English). I found it very interesting to observe how it was not only the verbal conversational language that came along, but the music and their way of living was also introduced into the American lifestyle. Their forms of the language were expressed through their dances and other arts, where they could freely talk with their slang and colloquialisms. However, there are some people who believe there should not be generalizations when regarding how African Americans speak. Mark Pontius comments: “But I do find it offensive that fellow blacks call those who speak proper "white" English Uncle Toms'” in video clip six of the episode. This reflects the thoughts of liberty and freedom not only of speech, but the way in which you speak.

            Music needs to be emphasized in this part of the evolution of English, since it was one of the main manners which people got to listen and appreciate the different “types” of English surrounding them. To exemplify this point, the narrator declares, “The musicians who migrated here introduced the wealth of black jargon into the heart of American and world English, from Jazz to jam session” (The Story of English). Many of the genres of music and terms we commonly use today come from African American dialects. In fact, English without the valuable influence of this ethnic group would have been very different, since it would contain fewer mixtures. From this point on, the English language would not only be a combination of languages from its conquistadors, but also a result of the blends of the dialects within a same region.

 

 

Scotland: an Sassenach Ancestry

       Scotlain has bin a body ay th' most important places fur th' evolution ay th' sassenach leid. Althoogh it helped tae unite stoatin britain an' maunt tae create a medium ay communication atween th' tois regions, it destroyed mony wee, natife dialects. Sic' an overwhelmin' globalization ay sassenach coods be seen when fowk aw throoghit stoatin britain began 'spikin th' sam leid when they hud ance differed sae much in th' idioms. Th' narratur exemplifies thes point by statin', “it is in remote places loch barra 'at ye can see th' woonds inflicted by warld sassenach oan a traditional local culture” (The Story ay English). Ah relate thes tae an article Ah recently reid abit hoo multinational companies ur destroyin' th' medium an' small-sized businesses in colombia. Noo wi' th' free trade agreement atween united states an' colombia, these huge corporations will gie lots ay benefits, which will allaw them tae monopolize th' markets e'en mair. Sassenach has damaged mony wee dialects 'at waur part ay natife fowk in several regions.

       As sassenach began tae spreid ower seas tae international territories, it left a mark a' place it went. Th' narratur in th' video clip says 'at “abit ten percent ay today’s americans can claeem scottish ancestry” (the story ay english). Ah foond it huir uv a interestin' tae observe 'at americans nae only hae british ancestry, but a reasonable part ay them hae scottish ancestry. Thes reaffirms th' statement 'at scootlund played an important transition role in th' origins ay sassenach. When talkin' abit th' wars an' battles in stoatin britain, Ah remembered readin' abit th' crusades gart by th' roman catholics athwart europe. In thes particular scenario, th' irish catholics waur defeated by th' scottish, fa still celebrate their victories. Th' sassenach leid nae only hud tae gang ben territorial boondaries, but also ben religioos boondaries. It truly is surprisin' 'at th' leid maunt tae prosper an' continue spreadin' it aw throoghit stoatin britain wi' sae mony obstacles an' varieties ay cultures 'at coods hae easily prevented it frae gainin' sae much territory.

Scotland: An English Ancestry

            Scotland has been one of the most important places for the evolution of the English language. Although it helped to unite Great Britain and was able to create a medium of communication between the two regions, it destroyed many small, native dialects. Such an overwhelming globalization of English could be seen when people all throughout Great Britain began speaking the same language when they had once differed so much in the idioms. The narrator exemplifies this point by stating, “It is in remote places like Barra that you can see the wounds inflicted by world English on a traditional local culture” (The Story of English). I relate this to an article I recently read about how multinational companies are destroying the medium and small-sized businesses in Colombia. Now with the free trade agreement between United States and Colombia, these huge corporations will get lots of benefits, which will allow them to monopolize the markets even more. English has damaged many small dialects that were part of native people in several regions.

            As English began to spread over seas to international territories, it left a mark everywhere it went. The narrator in the video clip says that “about ten percent of today’s Americans can claim Scottish ancestry” (The Story of English). I found it very interesting to observe that Americans not only have British ancestry, but a reasonable part of them have Scottish ancestry. This reaffirms the statement that Scotland played an important transition role in the origins of English. When talking about the wars and battles in Great Britain, I remembered reading about the Crusades made by the Roman Catholics across Europe. In this particular scenario, the Irish Catholics were defeated by the Scottish, who still celebrate their victories. The English language not only had to go through territorial boundaries, but also through religious boundaries. It truly is surprising that the language was able to prosper and continue spreading out all throughout Great Britain with so many obstacles and varieties of cultures that could have easily prevented it from gaining so much territory.

 

  

Surviving the Invasion

            Recalling the beginnings of the English language, it is crucial to highlight the Norman invasion. After the English language had stepped up and was fairly accepted in Britain, it had to face one of the most ferocious invasions by the Normans. They came along with their own language expecting to establish their culture and customs. I would have predicted at least a substantial decrease in the popularity and a radical change in the language. However, as said in the video, “English remained mostly unchanged after the Norman invasion” (The Story of English). Surprisingly, not even its pronunciation changed. People were beginning to get used to hearing English in their surroundings, which was vital for English to maintain its dominance in the region. A language can survive throughout time, but English did not just survive, it prospered. An example of the progress English was making was the fact that “Anglo Norman children were learning French as a second language” (The Story of English). This was a major change in the progress of the language, since it was starting to gather people that previously spoke another language and newborns and increasing its population.

            But how was English especially different from the other languages? The diversity was the key. “English gained a staggering ten thousand words from the Normans” (The Story of English). It almost doubled in size and in variety. Now, people were fascinated with the English since they had several ways of saying the thing. This allowed them to express themselves more freely and accurately. At this point, one can begin to see how the English language starts being composed of several other languages. Mixtures are usually the best in most aspects, and in this case the mixture seemed to be the key for the English language to thrive. How will British English be transformed into the American English? Will more invasions take place and expand the language even more? 

 

   

The English Language: Indispensable for the World

                The Story of English begins by depicting the importance the English language has gained over the years. It is very interesting to observe how it begins with the present. I would have expected the story to begin from the origins and work its way to today. One of the main examples in which one can see the universality of English is its use in air control. As the narrator states, “English is the universal language for air control” (The Story of English). With the importance air transportation has acquired in recent years for international traveling, a common-spoken language was necessary for pilots and control towers to communicate. Without English, this communication would be impossible.Speaking of communication, I found it impressive to realize that “in news, English dominates the world’s airwaves” (The Story of English). This shows how English probably has managed to spread all over the world and at the same time influence the perspectives of citizens of foreign countries. Since people are interested in news and want to be able to understand as much as they can, they are forced to learn English.

As said in the video, “In the post-colonial period, English was expected to be replaced by Native languages” (The Story of English). However, this was proved wrong shortly after. English continued to be as strong as it was before, since it was a way of interaction between cultures and different ethnic groups. English has certainly become indispensable all throughout the world not only as a medium of communication, but as source of knowledge. Since most printed articles, newspapers, and books are written in English, those individuals who master the language have a huge advantage over those who do not. Science, one of the main paths towards progress, is publishing most of the information and sources in English, since this language has become the common language of the entire world.

 The Story of English. Dir. William Cran, Peter Dale, Vivian Ducat, and Howard Reid. N.d. The Story of English. BBC TV, 27 Aug. 2009. Web. 22 Jan. 2013.