词汇学Lesson4

Differences in word choice ----- different words, same meaning
• • • • • • • • • sophomore zero line call couch game gas private school American • • • • • • • • • second year student nought queue ring/phone sofa match petrol public school British
American linguistics development ---- Third Period (post-Civil War)
• By 1950, the population of the country had risen to more than 150 million, twice the 1900 population, together was the massive increase of mothertongue use of English. The 1990 census showed that in America198 million people speak English at home. The figure far surpasses that of any other English-speaking country in the world. • Another noteworthy factor that has accelerated the growth of American English in this period is the two World Wars, which strongly weakened Great Britain’s oversea empire, while enabled the United States to rose to the leading power in the west. Its fast developments in economy, politics, culture and modern communications thrust the country to the front of the world sttwo Englishes
• The obvious differences between them are perhaps found in vocabulary. • There are several reasons attributed to these differences: • 1) the necessity to name the things or experiences that were unknown to the English settlers. Adapting existing words or creating new words are two helpful ways for this purpose. • 2) The technological and cultural development. • 3) Influences of other languages also make American English diverge from its British counterpart. Many languages have contributed words to American English, but not necessary to British English.
Differences in word choice ----- same words, different meaning
• Subway ------ It means in American English underground urban railroad, while in British English underground pedestrian tunnel.
Development of American English
History
• English people was first brought to America by an expedition commissioned by Walter Raleigh in 1584. • The first permanent English settlement, called Jamestown, was set up by the British immigrants in 1607. • But the best-known expedition in American history was in November of 1620, when the ship Mayflower was loaded with the first grouped of English Puritans. They finally established the second permanent English settlement. • By 1732, 13 English colonies had been established along the Atlantic seaboard.
Differences in word choice ----- pronunciation
• British English has a broad sense and a narrow sense. In broad use, it refers to the language of the entire United Kingdom, including all the varieties and dialects. The narrow use refers to the form of Standard English used by the middle and upper class. The standards cover its pronunciation and vocabulary. This English is referred to as the Received Pronunciation (RP). It has been associated with the phrases of Queen’s English, the King’s English, Oxford English or BBC English. • The Standard American English, on the other hand, is referred to as General American (GA)
Differences in word choice ----- pronunciation • Vowels letter a : ask, can’t, dance, fast letter o : hot, ironic • Stress • RP: stress in the second syllable • GA: stress in the first syllable • e.g. laboratory, dictate, migrate
American linguistics development ---- First Period (1756---1789)
• In 1756, term “American dialect” was coined by Samuel Johnson, author of Dictionary of the English Language, intended only as an insult. • The linguistic independence was made in The American Spelling Book by Noah Webster in 1783, intended to set up a standard for American spelling. His pursuit of American independence in language was clearly made in his Dissertations on the English Language in 1789, saying “as an independent nation, our honor requires us to have a system of our own, in language as well as government.”
American linguistics development ---- Second Period (1790---1865)
• This period is known as the National Expansion Period, characterized by the expansion to the south and the west. After the American Revolution, the newly established government pushed its frontiers to the Pacific Ocean. This period also saw great waves of immigrants. • In this period, Noah Webster published An American Dictionary of the English Language. He introduced many spelling forms with American characteristics, such as honor, favor, centre, in contrast with the British honour, favour, center. These changes were quickly accepted and were popular in use among the immigrants.