ENG\COMM     MR. SAITZ      LANGUAGE CHANGE       

     Languages do not just happen--they are the result of many
hundreds and even thousands of years of development.  The English
as we know it is relatively new and is in a constant state of
change.  Every day hundreds of new words enter the language and
many are dropped. In addition the language is spoken in many
dialects around the world.
     The English language contains about 300,000 words but your
vocabulary is about 3000 and you get by on a daily basis with
about 150.  By contrast, William shakespeare had a vocabulary of
15,000 words and invented many of the words and phrases that we
still use today.

OLD ENGLISH-- The following common passage is from the time of
King Alfred or about 800 A.D.

Faeder ure thu the eart on heofonum, si thin nama gehalgod.
Tobecume thin rice.  Gewurthe thin willa on eorthan swa swa on
heofonum.

MIDDLE ENGLISH-- The same phrase is written as it would have
appeared at the time of Geoffrey Chaucer (1320-1384)

     Oure fadir that art in heuenes, halwid be thi name;  thi
kyngdom cumme to;  be thi wille don as in heuen and in erthe; 
gif to us this day ouer breed oure substaunce; and forgeue uo us
oure dettis as we forgeue to oure dettours......

MODERN ENGLISH--Here is the same passage as it appeared in 1611
or about the time of Shakespeare.  Modern English begins to
appear at about this time. 
     Our Father, which art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy name.  Thy
kingdom come.  Thy will be done on earth, as it is in Heaven. 
Give us this day our daily bread.  And forgive us our debts, as
we forgive our debtors.  and lead us not into temptation....

Our present language is roughly Half Germanic and half Romance
(Latin and French)
What do the following words mean?  This should give you an
understanding of how our language continues to evolve with new
words entering and other words leaving.  If you were to go back
or forward in time, could you speak to anyone?

1. sound off             11. white dwarf
2. on the make           12. saddle shoes
3. stool pigeon          13. pass the buck
4. tizzy                 14. gag me with a spoon
5. sad sack              15. cool
6. grodey                16. smooch
7. on the loose          17. to root for
8. mooch                 18. chill
9. biofeedback           19. groovy
10. unisex               20. whodunit