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EARLY MODERN English

Early Modern English occurred between 1500-1650 CE. This period saw the standardization of English spelling, influenced by conventions before the Great Vowel Shift. Many classical Latin and Greek words were also introduced. Two major factors that influenced the language were the Great Vowel Shift, which changed pronunciation, and the invention of the printing press, which brought standardization and increased literacy. Shakespeare's writings from this period helped contribute to the standardization of English grammar and coined over 2000 words.

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Ningrum wijati Harahap
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212 views11 pages

EARLY MODERN English

Early Modern English occurred between 1500-1650 CE. This period saw the standardization of English spelling, influenced by conventions before the Great Vowel Shift. Many classical Latin and Greek words were also introduced. Two major factors that influenced the language were the Great Vowel Shift, which changed pronunciation, and the invention of the printing press, which brought standardization and increased literacy. Shakespeare's writings from this period helped contribute to the standardization of English grammar and coined over 2000 words.

Uploaded by

Ningrum wijati Harahap
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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EARLY

MODERN
Early Modern English (1500 -
1650/1700 CE)
 Early Modern English is the stage of
the English language used from
about the end of the Middle English
period (the latter half of the 15th
century) to 1650.
Examples of Early Modern English
 The first edition of the King James
Bible and the works of William
Shakespeare both belong to the late
phase of Early Modern English.
Tow Main Features
 The standardisation of English spelling
falls within the Early Modern English
period and is influenced by conventions
predating the Great Vowel Shift, which is
the reason for much of the non-phonetic
spelling of contemporary Modern English.
 *The revival of classical scholarship
brought many classical Latin and
Greek words into the Language.
Two Major Factors
Two other major factors influenced
the language and served to separate
Middle and Modern English.
1. 1.The Great Vowel Shift
2. 2. The invention of printing
Two Major Factors
 The Great Vowel Shift

*This was a change in pronunciation that began


around 1400.
* Long vowel sounds began to be made higher in the
mouth.
*The letter e at the end of words became silent.

• Examples:
• 1. Chaucer's Lyf (pronounced / leef/) became the
modern word life.
• 2. name was pronounced /nam-al
• 3. five was pronounced /feef/
• 4. down was pronounced / doon/.
Two Major Factors
 The invention of printing
*William Caxton brought the printing press to
England in 1476.
*Books became cheaper and as a result, literacy
became more common.

 The printing press brought standardization to


English,
1. The dialect of London, where most publishing
houses were located, became the standard.
2. Spelling and grammar became fixed, and the
first English dictionary was published in 1604.
Characteristic of early Modern
English
Shakespeare's Influence on the
English language
*Shakespeare's writings greatly influenced
the entire English language.
*Prior to and during Shakespeare's time,
the grammar and rules of English were
not fixed.
*Once Shakespeare's plays became
popular in the late seventeenth and
eighteenth century, they helped
contribute to the standardization of the
English language.
Shakespeare's Influence on the
English language
*Many familiar words and phrases were coined or first
recorded by Shakespeare, some 2,000 words and
countless catch-phrases are Shakespeare's.

*Examples:
1. Catch-phrases: One fell swoop, vanish into thin air, and
flesh and blood
2. Words :critical, leapfrog, majestic, dwindle, and pedant.

*He expanded the scope of English literature by introducing


new words and phrases, experimenting with blank verse,
and also introducing new poetic and grammatical
structures.

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