The perceived lack of Celtic loanwords in English has generally been seen as proof that the Anglo-Saxon invaders made short notice of their Celtic predecessors when they took possession of Britain during the fifth century. Thus, the Celts simply would not have had the chance to leave their mark on the English language as they were either killed, driven into the sea or had to take refuge in the mountainous West and North of Britain. The possibility of any Celtic influence on the very structure of English has been discounted altogether. In recent years, this view has met mounting opposition from different fields of study. New archaeological evidence as well as a methodological reassessment have called for a examination of the history of the Anglo-Saxon immigration. Besides, new advances in contact linguistics provide tools with which a more detailed look on the history of the English language has become possible.
Table of Contents
- 1. Introduction
- 1.1 Definition of terms
- 2. The Historic Background
- 2.1 Written Sources
- 2.2 Archaeology
- 2.3 Genetic analyses
- 2.4 Conclusion on Sources
- 3. Language Contact
- 3.1 Rapid Shift with Imperfect Learning
- 3.2 How to Define Contact Features
- 4. English and Celtic in Contact
- 4.1 Application of Framework on Historical Situation
- 4.2 How Long Did ‘British' Languages Survive in Britain
- 4.3 Old English diglossia
- 4.4 Approach Towards Proposed Features
- 5. Syntax (in contact)
- 5.1 The Analyticisation of English
- 5.2 Clefting
- 5.3 The Northern Subject Rule
- 5.4 External vs. Internal Possessors
- 5.5 Periphrastic do
- 5.6 The Expanded Form
- 5.7 Varia
- 5.7.1 The definite article
- 5.7.2 Genitival groups
- 5.7.3 'To go' as copula
- 5.7.4 Preposition stranding
- 5.7.5 Pronouns
- 6. Phonology
- 6.1 Interdental Fricatives
- 6.2 Retroflex /r/
- 6.3 Influence in American English
- 7. Celtic Words and Names in English
- 7.1 Loanwords
- 7.1.1 Dialects of English
- 7.2 Place-Names
- 7.2.1 Names for Britain
- 7.3 Personal Names
- 8. Conclusion
- 8.1 Outlook
Objectives and Key Themes
This paper aims to investigate the current state of research on Celtic influence on the English language, contrasting conflicting opinions from various disciplines. It examines the historical background of English-Celtic contact, analyzes the process and outcomes of this contact using a specific linguistic framework, and explores the possibility of both substratal influence (through rapid language shift) and long-term contact leading to areal convergence. The study also considers the implications of these findings for understanding the relationship between language and national/European identity.
- The historical background of contact between English and Celtic languages.
- The methodological framework for analyzing language contact and its outcomes.
- The extent and nature of Celtic influence on English syntax and phonology.
- The role of language shift and long-term contact in shaping English.
- The implications of the findings for understanding language and identity.
Chapter Summaries
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces the debate surrounding Celtic influence on English, challenging the traditional view that minimal Celtic loanwords indicate negligible influence. It highlights the recent challenges to this view, fueled by new archaeological evidence, methodological reassessments, and advancements in contact linguistics. The chapter establishes the paper's objective to examine the current state of research and explore the possibility of broader Celtic influence, including morphosyntactic and phonological features resulting from both rapid language shift and continued contact. The methodology of Thomason and Kaufman (1988, 2001) will be used as a framework for distinguishing between language contact scenarios and their linguistic consequences.
2. The Historic Background: This chapter delves into the historical context of contact between Celtic and English speakers, examining the evidence from written sources, archaeology, and genetic analyses to assess the extent to which Britons and their language survived the Anglo-Saxon arrival. It evaluates various sources to reconstruct the sociocultural landscape of post-invasion Britain, providing crucial background information for understanding the nature and intensity of the subsequent language contact. The analysis will set the stage for analyzing the linguistic consequences in later chapters, providing a historical context for potential Celtic influence on English.
3. Language Contact: This chapter outlines the theoretical framework for understanding language contact, specifically distinguishing between rapid language shift with imperfect learning and situations of ongoing language contact. It details how to define and identify contact-induced linguistic features, laying the groundwork for analyzing the specific features potentially influenced by Celtic in subsequent chapters. This section prepares the reader for the application of these theoretical principles to the historical situation of English-Celtic interaction in the following chapter.
4. English and Celtic in Contact: This chapter applies the framework established in Chapter 3 to the specific case of English-Celtic contact. It examines the historical evidence, considering the differing conclusions drawn about the survival of Brittonic languages and the sociolinguistic circumstances of the period. The chapter analyzes how long Brittonic languages persisted, the potential role of diglossia in Old English, and proposes a method for investigating specific features potentially influenced by Celtic. This chapter bridges theory and historical context, providing a critical analysis of previous research and laying the groundwork for the syntactic and phonological analyses in subsequent chapters.
5. Syntax (in contact): This chapter investigates potential Celtic influence on the syntax of English, examining several specific features. It explores the analyticisation of English, clefting constructions, the Northern Subject Rule, the use of external versus internal possessors, the development of periphrastic *do*, and the expanded verb form. The chapter analyzes a range of diverse syntactic features, detailing how each might be related to Celtic influence. Each section explores examples and arguments concerning the extent to which such features could reflect Celtic substratal influence.
6. Phonology: This chapter explores the potential impact of Celtic languages on the phonology of English, focusing on specific sound changes. The analysis focuses on the development of interdental fricatives, the retroflex /r/, and the potential impact of these changes on American English. This chapter focuses on a more specific area of linguistic influence, offering detailed arguments and examples of potential Celtic impact on English sound systems. It shows the influence can be both broad, through substratal features, and narrower, potentially affecting specific aspects of pronunciation.
7. Celtic Words and Names in English: This chapter examines the direct lexical influence of Celtic on English, focusing on loanwords and place-names. It analyzes the distribution of loanwords across different dialects of English and discusses the etymologies of various place-names in Britain. It also explores the impact of Celtic names on the development of personal names within English. This chapter provides a detailed analysis of the relatively limited but nonetheless important direct lexical influence of Celtic on English, contrasting with the arguments about indirect structural and phonological influence explored earlier.
Keywords
Celtic languages, English language, language contact, substratal influence, language shift, historical linguistics, syntax, phonology, loanwords, place-names, Brittonic, Old English, Middle English, Modern English, diglossia, areal convergence, linguistic interference.
Frequently Asked Questions: Celtic Influence on the English Language
What is the main topic of this paper?
This paper investigates the extent and nature of Celtic influence on the English language. It challenges the traditional view of minimal Celtic influence, exploring the possibility of broader impact on syntax and phonology through both rapid language shift and long-term contact. The study uses a specific linguistic framework to analyze the process and outcomes of English-Celtic contact and considers the implications for understanding the relationship between language and identity.
What sources of evidence are used to examine the historical background?
The paper examines written sources, archaeological findings, and genetic analyses to reconstruct the sociocultural landscape of post-invasion Britain and assess the survival of Brittonic languages after the arrival of Anglo-Saxons. This historical context is crucial for understanding the nature and intensity of language contact.
What is the methodological framework used in this analysis?
The study utilizes the methodological framework of Thomason and Kaufman (1988, 2001) to distinguish between different language contact scenarios and their linguistic consequences. This framework helps to analyze the specific features potentially influenced by Celtic, differentiating between rapid language shift with imperfect learning and ongoing language contact.
What aspects of English syntax are analyzed for potential Celtic influence?
The paper analyzes several syntactic features, including the analyticisation of English, clefting constructions, the Northern Subject Rule, the use of external versus internal possessors, periphrastic *do*, the expanded verb form, and various other features such as the definite article, genitival groups, 'to go' as copula, preposition stranding, and pronouns. Each feature is examined for potential Celtic substratal influence.
Which phonological features are explored for possible Celtic influence?
The potential Celtic impact on English phonology is investigated by focusing on the development of interdental fricatives, the retroflex /r/, and the potential influence on American English. The analysis explores both broad substratal features and more specific aspects of pronunciation.
How does the paper address the direct lexical influence of Celtic on English?
The paper examines the direct lexical influence by analyzing Celtic loanwords in different English dialects and the etymologies of place-names and personal names in Britain. This analysis contrasts with the discussion of indirect structural and phonological influences.
What are the key themes and objectives of this research?
The key themes include the historical background of English-Celtic contact, the methodological framework for analyzing language contact, the extent and nature of Celtic influence on English syntax and phonology, the role of language shift and long-term contact, and the implications of these findings for understanding language and identity. The objective is to investigate the current state of research on Celtic influence, contrasting conflicting opinions and exploring the possibility of broader influence than traditionally acknowledged.
What are the chapter summaries?
The paper provides detailed summaries for each chapter outlining the content and focus of each section, from the introduction and historical background to the analyses of syntax, phonology, and direct lexical borrowing. These summaries provide a clear overview of the paper's structure and argumentation.
What keywords are associated with this research?
Keywords include: Celtic languages, English language, language contact, substratal influence, language shift, historical linguistics, syntax, phonology, loanwords, place-names, Brittonic, Old English, Middle English, Modern English, diglossia, areal convergence, and linguistic interference.
What is the conclusion of the paper and its outlook?
The conclusion summarizes the findings and discusses the implications of the research for understanding the relationship between language and identity. The outlook suggests avenues for further research.
- Quote paper
- Jan Niehues (Author), 2006, The Influences of the Celtic Languages on Present-Day English, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/117895
