Language Focus: The Age of Linguistic Anxiety and Establishment of the National Language

The Early Modern English period that began in the 16-th century lasted through the 17-th and 18-th centuries. In the 16-th century due to the literary works of renaissance English was acknowledged as a literary medium, but in science its status was different. Latin – the language considered a perfect medium of learning – was still widely used in scientific and even some literary works. It was also the language of church.

In church the usage of Latin diminished because England as a protestant country established church service in English and Bible was translated into English. The establishment of English as the language of science was more difficult. In 1531 Thomas Elyot published his first scientific work in English. In his book “The Governour” he tried to show that English could be used for scientific purposes. As the English Language lacked scientific terms Elyot gave English forms to Latin terms.

So the use of Latin was gradually declining through the Early Modern English period and English was being established. While some writers were effectively using Latin borrowings, the others attacked the choice of words called “inkhorn terms”. This was an “Age of Linguistic Anxiety”. English was becoming a universal national language and many speakers felt a need to regulate and control the language. While many words were borrowed from Latin, many felt that latinization of English was leading to its degeneration. Some writers like Edmund Spencer tried to incorporate archaized Anglo-Saxon words into their writing. This linguistic anxiety caused the publishing of the first English language dictionaries to explain difficult, rare and borrowed words.

The Age of Linguistic Anxiety also saw numerous attempts to establish grammar rules for developing language. The first grammars followed the pattern of Latin grammar books, thus giving way to latinization of the English Grammar. In 1622 a grammarian George Manson made a distinction between the use of shall and will. Later the grammarians established such new rules as infinitives were not to be split, sentences were to end in prepositions. Double negatives were constructed to mean positives.

I. Answer the following Questions:

1. Outline the most important developments which took place in science in the 18-the century.

2. Name the most prominent scientists of this period both in natural science and in social sciences.

3. What trend affected art and sculpture in England in the 18-th century?

4. Narrate the development of the theatre and music in England in the 18-th century.

5. Describe the contribution made to English art by Hogarth, Reynolds, Gainsborough.

6. Explain the credo of the Enlightenment in English literature.

7. Speak of the main trends of movements.

II. Translate the Following Words and Word Combinations:

Gravitational, tremendous, cosmology, impact, theologians, to be doomed, baroque, venture, arch, immensely, interior, galaxy, prominent, Enlightenment.