The Birth of English Language

The birth of English

The English language which gradually replaced Celtic in England and south eastern Scotland from the 5th century onwards is most closely related historically to three other modern languages: German, Dutch and Frisian. These languages are "related" because they are descended from a common parent language called West Germanic. West Germanic was spoken in what is now the Netherlands, northern Germany and southern Denmark about 2,000 years ago.

If we were to ask when English first came into being as a language, what we would really be asking, then, would be: when did it start breaking away from the other West Germanic languages, and especially from Frisian, which is its closest relative. Frisian is still spoken today in Friesland, the northern part of the Netherlands. It was long recognised as being a language rather similar to English, and East Anglian fisherman had a rhyme which went:

Bread, butter and green cheese
Is good English and good Friese.

The Frisians, too, still have a version of the same rhyme:

Bûter, brea en griene tsiis
Is goed Ingelsk en goed Fries.

So English first came into existence when it began to separate from the other West Germanic dialects and acquire its own identity. And this happened when speakers of West Germanic, who had originally crossed the North Sea from mainland Europe as raiders and mercenaries during the Roman occupation, first started to overwinter, and then settle permanently, in Britain. These people were members of the tribal groupings of Angles, Saxons, Jutes and Frisians who came mainly from coastal districts just across the North Sea from Britain.

The form of the English language that was spoken in England and southeastern Scotland from the time of the arrival of the West Germanic peoples until about 1100 is called Anglo-Saxon or, more correctly, Old English.

English was later rather heavily influenced by Old Norse, between the 9th and 11th centuries, as a result of the Viking invasions. And the arrival of the French-speaking Normans in 1066 also had an enormous effect on the language.

Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/voices/multilingual/birth_of_english.shtml#A

Attached is a link from Youtube on a documentary: English Birth of a Language 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VsVz5U76kX0

Tazkirah #1

It is narrated on the authority of Amir al-Mu'minin (Leader of the Believers), Abu Hafs 'Umar bin al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him), who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), say:

"Actions are according to intentions, and everyone will get what was intended."

This particular hadith is a hadith that can always make us ponder upon our actions. For Allah s.w.t is All Knowing for what is revealed and is concealed.

In seeking knowledge, every one of us should put our niyyah, "Lillahitaala" thus everything that we gained is full of barakah.

What are these terms?

In learning Varieties of English (VoE), there are some terms that we need to be familiar with and they are:

• Pidgins
• Creoles
• Dialects
• Slang

What is pidgins? Well according to DeCamp (1971), he defines a pidgin as a contact vernacular, normally not the native language of any of its speaker. It is characterized by a limited vocabulary, an elimination of many grammatical devices such as number and gender, and a drastic reduction of redundant features. DeCamp (1971) says that more than two languages in contact are required for the development of a true pidgin.

What is creole? The term Creole originally meant a white man of European descent born and raised in a tropical or semitropical colony. The meaning was later extended to include indigenous natives and others of non-European origin. The term was then subsequently applied to certain languages spoken by creoles in and around the Caribbean and in West Africa, and then more generally to other languages of similar types which had arisen in similar circumstances. The development from Pidgin into Creole involves an expansion of expressive forces in response to communicative needs.

The main difference between a pidgin and a Creole lies in terms of the feature referred to as vitality. This means whether the language has a viable community of native speakers. Pidgins and Creoles share some features. That is, they lack standardization, historicity, and autonomy, but are reduced, mixed languages.

Pidgins and Creoles are considered as language. Therefore both have linguistics features which describe them:

• The sounds of pidgins or creoles are likely to be fewer and less complicated in their possible arrangements than those of the corresponding standard languages.
• Another typical feature of pidgins and creoles is consonantal cluster reduction. This results in a rather simple syllable structure of pidgins and creoles (CV-structure), which also makes the pronunciation of words simpler.
• There is almost a complete lack of inflection in nouns, pronouns, verbs and adjectives in pidgins and creoles.
• Another feature of Creole and pidgin morphology is the reduction or elimination of gender distinctions.
• Another linguistic feature of pidgins and creoles is their use of reduplication. Reduplication is a morphological process by which the root or stem of a word, or part of it, is repeated

What is dialect? When there are systematic differences in the way groups speak a language, we say that each group speaks a dialect of that language. Dialects are mutually intelligible forms of a language that differ in systematic ways. It is not always easy to decide whether the differences between two speech communities reflect two dialects or two languages. Sometimes this rule-of-thumb definition is used: When dialects become mutually unintelligible – when the speakers of one dialect group can no longer understand the speakers of another dialect group – these dialects become different languages.

Bored with lengthy words? Too many words to read? Then enjoy the video provided to understand what is pidgins and creoles. 

Revised Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan (Revised version)

Class/Level: Primary/Intermediate (Standard 4)

Date : 4^th of March 2014

Time: 2 periods = 1 hour 20 mins

Proficiency level of students: Intermediate

Topic: Conjunction

Language skill: English Grammar

General objectives:

The objectives of the lesson are to:

1. Expose the students with the sub branch of grammar, conjunction
2.   Enable students to categorize conjunctions with its functions 
3.  Enable students to use conjunctions in writing

Learning outcomes :

At the end of the lesson, the students will be able:

1. To identify each conjunction with their functions 
2. To apply the conjunction in simple exercises

Evaluations for learning outcomes:

1. 1The identification  of conjunctions by students through questions given
2. The exercises done by the students will measure their application of understanding of the lessons

Materials required for lesson:

Websites :

http://www.turtlediary.com/grade-3-games/ela-games/coordinating-conjunctions.html

LESSON PLAN

Procedure / Steps	Activities	Time	Islamic values
1) Induction (5 minutes)	-The class will start with the recitation of Ummul kitab al-Fatihah - The teacher will introduce the language skill they will be learning (grammar)	5 minutes	Respecting the teacher by listening
2)Content Development (70 minutes)	- Teacher will present to them a short paragraph on “My Family” -Students will be briefed the sub branch of grammar they are going to learn based on the paragraph	10 minutes
	-Teacher will explain the first type of conjunction to the students -Teacher will point out the conjunction from the paragraph -Students will watch a video on the website pertaining to the first type of conjunction -Students will proceed with exercise regarding the first lesson -Teacher will ask students on any mistakes done and will explain why.	3 minutes 2 minutes 5 minutes 10 minutes 5 minutes	Honesty in surfing the internet without teacher’s full observation Obeying the teacher’s instructions
		Total : 25 minutes
	-Teacher will then move to explain the second type of conjunction to the students -Students will be asked to point out the conjunction -Students will watch a video on the website pertaining to the second type of conjunction -Students will proceed with exercise regarding to the second lesson. -Teacher will ask students on any mistakes done and will explain why. -Another exercise will follow which combines two types of conjunctions -Students will continue the lesson by playing games provided by the website on regard of the topics learned	3 minutes 3 minutes 4 minutes 10 minutes 5 minutes 5 minutes 5 minutes
		Total : 35 minutes
3) Closure    (5 minutes)	-The teacher will summarize the lesson of the day to the students - A recap of the lesson will be done by the students	5 minutes

Teacher's reflections:

Language Variation

People talk differently. It is all depending on:
1. Who they are?
2. Where they come from?
3. Are they educated or not?
4. Are they at ease or are trying to impress anyone in particular?

      What can be concluded from the factors is that speakers adjust their behaviour to the needs of the situation and manipulate it with distinguishable skill.

      What is important is that the speaker and the hearer share knowledge, subconsciously, on how the message is intended is encoded and decoded.

     Linguists today stress on the fact that languages vary and systematically, correlate it with "sociolinguistics parameters" such as:
 i. speaker's regional origin
ii. gender
iii. age.
iv. status
v. context of situation

Source: English Around the World by Edgar W. Schneider

Reflection #2

13 March 2014.

Reflection #2

Reflections on Lesson Plan.

After we were done with the lesson plan presentation, we found that being a teacher is actually a hard business. Young adults nowadays always resort in being a teacher when they dont get their intended jobs. Being a teacher need passion, ikhlas, patience, and a lot of hard work. Educating the younger generations is a tough job as the teacher might be questioned in the hereafter. Through the lesson plan assignment, one of our group members found her passion in teaching. InsyaAllah if there is rezqi out there, she might be a teacher. 

From the lesson plan activity, we found that:

1. We need to accommodate the activities according to students' level of proficiency.
2. The activities need to be interesting yet comprehensive.
3. A simple lesson plan is the best lesson plan.
4. The teacher must be enthusiastic as well as posses the best intention and also passionate in teaching the students.

Assessment #1

4 March 2014.

Lesson Plan

Class/Level: Primary/Intermediate (Standard 6)

Date : 4^th of March 2014

Time: 2 periods = 1 hour 20 mins

Proficiency level of students: Intermediate

Topic: Conjunction

Language skill: English Grammar

General objectives: 

The objectives of the lesson are to:

1.  Expose the students with the sub branch of grammar, conjunctions
2. Enable students to categorize conjunctions with its functions.
3.  Enable students to use conjunctions in writing

Learning outcomes :

At the end of the lesson, the students will be able:

1.  To identify each conjunction with their functions.
2. To apply the conjunction in simple exercises

Evaluations for learning outcomes:

1. The videos shown to the students will help the identification  of conjunctions
2. The exercises done by the students will measure their application of understanding of the lessons

Materials required for lesson:

Websites :

http://www.turtlediary.com/grade-3-games/ela-games/coordinating-conjunctions.html

LESSON PLAN

Procedure / Steps	Activities	Time	Islamic values
1) Induction (5 minutes)	-The class will start with the recitation of Ummul kitab al-Fatihah - The teacher will introduce the language skill they will be learning (grammar)	5 minutes	Respecting the teacher by listening
2)Content Development (70 minutes)	- Teacher will present to them a short paragraph on favourite pastime -Students will guess what are the sub branch of grammar they are going to learn based on the paragraph	10 minutes
	-Teacher will explain the first type of conjunction to the students -Teacher will point out the conjunction from the paragraph -Students will watch a video on the website pertaining to the first type of conjunction -Students will proceed with exercise regarding the first lesson -Teacher will ask students on any mistakes done and will explain why.	3 minutes 2 minutes 5 minutes 10 minutes 5 minutes	Honesty in surfing the internet without teacher’s full observation Obeying the teacher’s instructions
		Total : 25 minutes
	-Teacher will then move to explain the second type of conjunction to the students -Students will be asked to point out the conjunction -Students will watch a video on the website pertaining to the second type of conjunction -Students will proceed with exercise regarding to the second lesson. -Teacher will ask students on any mistakes done and will explain why. -Another exercise will follow which combines two types of conjunctions -Students will continue the lesson by playing games provided by the website on regard of the topics learned	3 minutes 3 minutes 4 minutes 10 minutes 5 minutes 5 minutes 5 minutes
		Total : 35 minutes
3) Closure    (5 minutes)	-The teacher will summarize the lesson of the day to the students - A recap of the lesson will be done by the students	5 minutes

Teacher reflections:

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