1. The subject, the aim and the main tasks / problems of the hel

Any language can be studied in different aspects:

1) phonetics;

2) grammar;

3) word stock (vocabulary).

The aim of this course is to study different linguistic processes, to show causes and ways of formation of specific linguistic features of the EL.

The history of the EL is closely connected with cognate languages. In the process of the development of the EL two main trends can be observed: 1) the appearance of new forms and words; 2) the disappearance of the obsolete forms.

1) Phonetics and spelling. English spelling is difficult because it is more traditional, more conventional than phonetics. The value of Latin letters differs from their value in other cognate languages, such as German or French: bite – 4 letters, 3 sounds; night – 5 letters, 3 sounds. Sound system changes rather slowly because it must constantly preserve the contrast between the phonemes that are essential to the differentiation between morphemes.

2) Grammar. During the historical development of the EL some grammatical forms appeared, others became obsolete and disappeared. Every language has an organized structure of grammar. Any changes meet all these requirements and correlate with the norms of the language. Some changes meet exceptions: a book – books, but a woman – women. The lady doth protest too much. Grammar changes very slowly because grammar structure provides frames and patterns for other systems of the language.

3) Word stock. It’s a part of the language that changes more rapidly. In the process of the English development a lot of words of French origin appeared in the EL. The fact that words of the French origin occur very often in the English word stock proves that the process of borrowings is a characteristic feature in a language. Changes in the vocabulary can be observed during the lifetime of one generation: borrowing of a coined word can appear as the result of achievements in technological, economical, computer spheres of life. It is necessary to state that changes in the word stock are also caused by changes in the linguistic groups to which a language belongs. But all alterations in the word stock do not break up the language system, they support it and show how it works.

Conclusion: A language is non-static. Changes are taking place at all levels of the language. The nature of linguistic changes is mainly determined by its characteristics and its functions in the society (communicative, expressive, etc.).

2. Methods of studying the hel

Any language can be investigated with the help of two main scientific approaches: 1) synchronic; 2) diachronic. According to the synchronic approach, all linguistic factors of modern English are analyzed. According to the diachronic approach, any language phenomenon is treated as part of ever-lasting process and evolution.

In order to learn as much as possible about the language, its necessary to analyze linguistic factors not only from the point of the synchronic approach, but also with the help of 14 the diachronic one. The division between synchronic and diachronic approaches is conventional. This division exists more in theory than in practice.

In the diachronic approach to studying the language two main methods are used: the comparative method and the internal reconstruction method. The comparative method compares variations between different languages. For example, full cognates have similar phonetic and semantic structure and share the same etymology: Lat. padre, Eng. father, G. vater, etc.; root cognates have the same origin but only in their root: Lat. deus, Sanskrit devah, Eng. divine. The internal reconstruction method compares variant forms within a single language under the assumption that they descend from a single, regular form.