This week we will do Part 2 of Van Gelderen's Chapter 7, this chapter, Sections 5 through 9, pp. 179 - 194.
Section 5, "The Early Modern English Lexicon" (179 - 183) outlines the main developments in the English lexicon (="dictionary", i.e. vocabulary) during this period. Latin borrowings and influence generally; the "inkhorn debate", hybrids; borrowings from other languages such as French, Italian, and Spanish; neologisms (the "coining" of new words); puns ("play" on words); malaprops (this term comes much later; it means humorous misuse of words). Vocabulary as social marker. Changes in meaning. The rise of prescriptivism, rare in the 16th century (1500s) but sharply increasing during the 17th century and thereafter.
Section 6, "Attitudes towards a Standard" (183 - 187): spelling standardization (partly due to the invention of printing, but largely due to prescriptivism); word lists, dictionaries, grammars, the "correcting" of grammar beginning in the 17th century.
Section 7: "Regional and Register Varieties" (188 - 190): still very important today, both regionally, nationally, and internationally, with English as a "world language."
Section 8: "Editorial and Authorship Issues" (1990 - 194) gives some idea of how the written word can be used to express individual style, and conversely, how style can help identify an individual author. Methods of determining authorship; syntactic "fingerprints"; and (briefly) the role of compositors (of type).
Section 9: "Conclusion" (194) is a brief summary paragraph.
Written Assignment:
1. Please make a detailed outline of these sections, 5 - 8
Make notes on any and all points you would like to raise for further discussion; points that are unclear or confusing; anything at all.
2. Look at Table 7.7 on p. 180. Do this same search, using the OED, for the same years: 1505 and 1605. What are your results? Any differences with van Gelderen's results? Briefly outline the differences.
Email to me. NOT to your group.
NB: As always, bring your text to class with you.