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Shannon Cross

G301-Sept. 28, 1999

Class Summary

Themes discussed in prior group work:

• Language learning
• Language variation
• Language in schools
• To be bi/multi lingual/dialectal

Assumptions and views made about speakers of dialects:

• They are ignorant and unsophisticated
• Pleasant to listen to
• Unified
• Add to the overall language
• Correct language
• Multi dialect - is keeping an identity

Language change is due to:

1. External Change- social factors, political forces in the world.
2. Internal Change-language based; inside language

Middle English is different from Old English:

An internal change occurred between Middle English and Old English because Old English was:

• Inflections were too difficult to survive
• Old English was too complicated
• Middle English simplified the language. [n.b. check out chapter 3’s discussion of explanations for language change; these are only possible explanations for language change, and there is evidence to refute these explanations as the only explanation for change. smh]

OLD ENGLISH------> MIDDLE ENGLISH=SIMPLIFICATION

Look at handout called-Middle English Language: An Internal View

Study Questions:

1. What are the two factors that contribute to change? Explain.
2. What are some changes that have occurred from Old English to Middle English
3. What are some of the consonant changes that are in Middle English and not in Old English(handout)?

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