Introduction
English is one of the world’s most widely used languages for formal and informal communication. Its use across regions varies greatly, stemming from its origin and interactions with local languages. The article on the Restoration Period examines the outcome of efforts meant to improve the language by making it more transparent and straightforward (Potter and Crystal). The second article explains how and why English is a complex language, stemming from its Indo-European roots. Both articles help us understand how English came about, its changes, and its ongoing expansion.
Restoration Period
The article “Restoration Period” describes the evolution of the English language from the 17th to the 20th century. Interestingly, English, the globally recognized primary language of communication, had to be refined from its roots. As stated in the article, the English language emerged from Latin.
The restoration period was thus meant to make English a “natural way of speaking; positive expressions; clear senses, a native easiness” (Potter and Crystal). The development of the Oxford Dictionary in 1933 was a significant milestone, as it provided a universal reference for the pronunciation of English words. The Oxford Dictionary remained fundamental in connecting the subdialects of the English language and facilitating understanding across all global regions.
English as an Indo-European Language
In English as an Indo-European Language, Philip Baldi delves into the language’s ancestral origins. Besides noting that English belongs to the Indo-European language family, he demonstrates that English “words occur as members of a constituent (word group), their membership is indicated by shared endings marking case, number, and gender,” which complicates the use and change of English (Baldi, 137). For example, English morphed from Germanic languages, which were rooted in Latin.
The transference of lexicon features, phonology, morphology, and syntax explains why it is difficult to change a language and why languages share certain features. Through this exploration of English, it is evident that it continues to evolve. For example, comparing the Celtic language, Old English, and Modern English shows that languages evolve from their origins and within themselves. As the author states, the word arrangement in English has undergone significant change, separating Old English from Modern English.
Connection Between the Articles
Both articles dig into the intricate details of the English language to understand its evolution. Philip Baldi’s article does a more exclusive job of understanding the language family to which English belongs. By understanding the language family, the article effectively explains where English gets its influences from (Germanic languages).
The Restoration of the English article, in turn, highlights the complexities of refining vocabulary, word order, and phrasing. These challenges are reflected in Philip Baldi’s article, where he states, “We need vocabulary items which, like the numerals, are part of the ‘core’ vocabulary” to demonstrate the impracticality of changing the English language (Baldi, 134). Both articles also demonstrate a trend of growth in the English language. In learning about the Restoration of English, the aim was to make the language more precise. Philip Baldi affirms this by stating that Modern English is more straightforward and effective for communication.
Conclusion
Both articles unearth the nature and course of English’s development as a language. There is an undisputed connection between English and its Latin roots. However, comparing Latin and English demonstrates that English has generally advanced. Subdialects in English also demonstrate that there is no universally accepted English structure. The type of English spoken in the different regions depends on who introduced the language and how the people learned it. Ultimately, this allows for re-learning English, improving its use, and better mastery of communication.
Works Cited
Baldi, Philip. “English as an Indo‐European Language.” A Companion to the History of the English Language, 2008, pp.127-141.
Potter, Simeon, and David Crystal. “English Language.” Britannica, 2023.