2. Mетоды компаративной лингвистики

The pre-written history of English & cognate languages was first studied by methods of comparative linguistic in the 19th century (by this linguists discover the kinship of what is known as the Indo-European family of languages now known & grouped them into Slavonic, Celtic, Roman & others). Modern linguists have improved only methods of comparative linguistic implied in the 19th century. In addition to extend reconstruction which was based on comparing different languages the recently formulated methods of internal reconstruction study the history from internal sources alone. This method is based on the assumption that every language is a well-organized & well-balanced structure of elements.

It has long recognized that a living language can never be absolutely static. It develops together with the speech community. The great absurge of interest in theoretical linguistics & the beginning of serious scientific researches date from early stages of living languages called for theoretical interpretation of linguistic revolution.

19. Reestablishment of English as the language of state and literature. + возвышение лондонского диалекта

The domination of the French language in England came to an end in the course of the 14th century. Little by little the Normans & the English drew together & intermingled. In the 14th century Anglo-Norman was a dead language. The Member of known French had fallen. Anglo-Saxon compositions had lost their audience & had to be translated on English. Towards the end of the 4th English had taken a place of French. English was the dominant language of all social classes & all regions.

The dialect division, which evolved in Early M.E. was in whole preserved in later period. In the 14th & 15th c. we find the same grouping of local dialects. The history of the London Dialect reveals the sources of the literary language in late middle English & also the main source & basis of the literary standard both in its written & spoken forms.

The History of London extends back to the Roman period. Even in O.E. times London was the biggest town in Britain. The capital was transported to London 2 years before the Norman conquest. The dialect of London was fundamentally East-Saxon. In terms of the M.E. division it belonged to the south-west dialect group. Later the speech of London was becoming more mixed. East-Midland gradually prevailed over the Southern features. It can be explained by the migration of the population. The mixed dialect of London which had extended to the 2 universities (Oxford & Cambridge) ousted (выгонять) French from speeches and from the sphere of writing.

The flourishing of literature, which marks the 2nd half of the 14th century testifies of the complete reestablishment as the language of writing. The literary text of the late 14th c. received in numerous manuscripts belonged to a variety of genres. Poetry was more prolific than prose. Jeffrey Chaucer (1340-1400) was the most outstanding figure of that time. Chaucer was born in London about the year 1340 and had the most varied experience as student courtier, official & member of parliament. He never wrote in any other language than English. The culmination of Chaucer’s work as a poet is his great unfinished collection of stories “the Canterbury tales”. Chaucer literary language, based on the mixed London dialect is known as classical M.E.

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