6. Read & translate the text

THE HISTORY OF ENGLISH

When the Angles and Saxons invaded Britain in the 5th century AD, they brought with them their language: 'English' or, as we call it now, Old English. Examples of Old English words are: sheep, dog, work, field, earth, the, is, you. Two hundred years later, when St. Augustine brought Christianity to Britain in the 7th century, hundreds of Latin and Greek words were adapted into Old English: words such ashymn, priest, school, cook.In the 8th—10th centuries the Viking invaders added their own Norse words: get, wrong, leg, want, skin, same, low.

When the Norman Duke William defeated the Anglo-Saxon King Harold at the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and became King William I, French became the language of the educated classes for the next two or three centuries. This meant that there was no conservative influence on the English language, which was spoken mainly by uneducated people, and so the Middle English period (1150—1500) was characterized by tremendous changes. Grammatically, most of the inflexions or case endings of Old English disappeared, and word order therefore became of prime importance, as it is in modern English; at the same time, there was a massive transfer of French words into English (some estimates say over 10,000 words). Latin, however, remained the language of the church and of education, and this mixing of Latin, French and native English is the reason why there are so many synonyms even today in the English language, e.g. ask (English), question (French), interrogate (Latin); time(English), age (French),epoch (Latin).

The introduction of the printing press in about 1476 gave rise to the need for a standard, uniform language that could be understood throughout the country. Modern English may be said to have begun in 1500, and the most important influence on the language was William Shakespeare, who proclaimed in Love's Labour's Lost, that: "Henceforth my wooing mind shall be expressed in russet yeas, and honest kersey noes", i.e. that 'pure' English was the language in which Englishmen best expressed themselves.

Vocabulary

I to invade [ɪn'veɪd] — вторгатися, захоплювати, вдертися

to defeat [dɪ'fi:t] — завдавати поразки

inflexion [in'flekʃ(ə)n] — грам, флексія; зміна форми слова (закінчення)

case ending ['keis,endiŋ] — грам, відмінкове закінчення

influence ['ɪnfluəns] — вплив

6. Questions

1. List the languages that have had an important influence on English.

2. What is the main grammatical difference between Old English and Modern English?

3. What are the examples of Old English words?

4. When were Latin and Greek words adapted into Old English ?

5. Wlien did French become the language of the educated classes?

6. When did modern English begin ?

6. Translate into English

1. Коли англи і сакси вдерлись у Велику Британію в V столітті нашої ери, вони принесли з собою свою мову: англійську, або, як ми називаємо її зараз, староанглійську мову. Прикладами староанглійських слів є: sheep, clog, work, field, earth, the, is, you.

2.Через двісті років, коли Св. Августин запроваджував християнство у Великій Британії в VII столітті, сотні латинських і грецьких слів почали вживатися в староанглійській мові (зокрема hymn, priest, school, cook). 

3. У VIII—X століттях загарбники вікінги додали свої власні норвезькі слова get, wrong, leg, want, skin, same, low.

4. Коли норманський герцог Вільям завдав поразки англосакському королю Гарольду в битві під Гастингсом 1066 р. і став королем Вільямом І, французька мова стала мовою освічених верств населення на наступні два або три століття.

5. Це означало, що на англійську мову, якою розмовляли переважно неосвічені люди, не було ніякого консервативного впливу, отже, середній англійський період (1150—1500 pp.) характеризувався величезними змінами. Вони стосувалися граматики — більшість закінчень слів, або відмінкових закінчень, у староанглійській мові зникає, і, таким чином, порядок слів набуває першорядної важливості. якою й дотепер вирізняється сучасна англійська мова; водночас почалося масове перенесення французьких слів в англійську мову (за приблизними оцінками, понад 10 000 слів).

6. Латинська, проте, залишилася мовою церкви й освіти, і ця суміш латинської, французької і рідної англійської мов пояснює, чому навіть сьогодні так багато синонімів в англійській мові, наприклад:

ask (англійська), question (французька), interrogate (латинська);

time (англійська), age (французька), epoch (латинська).

7. Із запровадженням друку близько 1476 р. виникла потреба в стандартній, загальновживаній мові, яку б розуміли в усій країні. Можна сказати, що сучасна англійська мова бере початок Із 1500 р. і найбільш важливий вплив на мову мав Вільям Шекспір, який проголосив у «Втраті Любові до Праці»: «Henceforth my wooing mind shall be expressed in russet yeas, and honest kersey noes», тобто «чиста» англійська була мовою, якою англійці найкращим чином виразили себе.

6. Read & translate the text

WHY I STUDY ENGLISH

Hi, I’m Petro from Vinnytsia. It’s in the centre of Ukraine.

I study English at school. I try to master the language as well as I can do it at school. ’Why?’ you can ask. Well, I have my point of view as for this. I want to reach success in life and English will help me. You see, modem life is impossible without communication. This communication is between people of one country and between people of different nations. So it is necessary to know at least one foreign language. Besides, I think, that to achieve real success in live is impossible without speaking a foreign language. If you are a scientist you need it to read literature and to take part in conferences. If you want to be a good expert in any field you need a foreign language to receive new information on your speciality. If you are a businessperson you need a foreign language to have business with foreign partners.

Many people like to travel. For this a foreign language is necessary too. If you want to get education abroad you must know a foreign language too.

If you are fond of reading you can read interesting books in the original. If you are fond of music you can understand the words of songs. If you are an athlete you can communicate using a foreign language during international competition s.If you want to find a job abroad you must know a foreign language too. So in any field of modem life it is necessary to know a foreign language. We live in Europe. Europe is integrating now and it is very important for everybody to know at least one foreign language. Ukraine is going to become a member of the European Council and the Common Market. Our country takes part in many international political, economic, ultural and educational projects. But how to take part in them without speaking a,foreign language? A private interpreter isn’t a suitable way out. People can think that you aren’t intelligent enough if you spend much money on paying the private interpreter instead of paying for your own education at least when you are young enough to learn any language rather quickly.

English is one of the most popular foreign languages. It is the most spoken language in international communication. I am glad that 1 know English a little and I plan to learn it better in future.

6. Answer the questions.

1. What is Petro’s point of view about the role of English in his plans for future?

2. Why English is necessary for an expert in any field?

3. Why a foreign language is important for tourists?

4. What is the role of English in European co-operation?

5. Can Ukrainians take part in international projects without mastering a foreign language?

6. Why is it better to spend money on your language education rather

7. than pay them to an interpreter?

8. What are Petro’s plans as for improving his English in future?

6. Continue the statements.

1. In business English is....

2. For scientists English ....

3. Specialists in almost every field need English because ....

4. .In European integration English plays a special role because ....

5. It is very important for young Ukrainians to learn foreign languages because....