A Handbook of the English LanguageLatham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)
History
A Handbook of the English Language
Latham, R. G. (Robert Gordon)
English language -- Grammar; English language -- History
20. Exhibit, in a tabular form, the languages and dialects of the Celtic
stock. To which division did the Gallic of ancient Gaul, and the Pict
belong? Support the answer by reasons. What were the relations of the Picts
to the Gaelic inhabitants of Scotland? What to the Lowland Scotch? What to
the Belgæ?
21. Explain the following words--_petorritum_, _pempedula_, _candetum_,
_Epona_, _Nantuates_, _peann fahel_ and _Bernicia_. What inferences do you
draw from the derivation of them?
22. Exhibit, in a tabular form, the languages and dialects of the Classical
stock.
23. What is the bearing of the statements of Tacitus and other ancient
writers respecting the following Germanic populations upon the ethnological
relations of the Angles,--Aviones, Reudigni, Suevi, Langobardi, Frisii,
Varini?
24. What is meant by the following terms, Provençal, Langue d'Oc, Langue
d'Oyl, Limousin, and Norman-French?
25. What languages, besides the Celtic and Latin, enter into the
composition of the French?
* * * * *
PART II.
HISTORY AND ANALYSIS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
* * * * *
CHAPTER I.
HISTORICAL AND LOGICAL ELEMENTS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE.
§ 70. The Celtic elements of the present English fall into five classes.
1. Those that are of late introduction, and cannot be called original and
constituent parts of the language. Some of such are the words _flannel_,
_crowd_ (a fiddle), from the Cambrian; and _kerne_ (an Irish foot-soldier),
_galore_ (enough), _tartan_, _plaid_, &c., from the Gaelic branch.
2. Those that are originally common to both the Celtic and Gothic stocks.
Some of such are _brother_, _mother_, in Celtic _brathair_, _mathair_; the
numerals, &c.
3. Those that have come to us from the Celtic, but have come to us through
the medium of another language. Some of such are _druid_ and _bard_, whose
_immediate_ source is, not the Celtic but the Latin.
4. Celtic elements of the Anglo-Norman, introduced into England after the
Conquest, and occurring in that language as remains of the original Celtic
of Gaul.
5. Those that have been retained from the original Celtic of the island,
and which form genuine constituents of our language. These fall into three
subdivisions.
a. Proper names--generally of geographical localities; as _the Thames_,
_Kent_, &c.
b. Common names retained in the provincial dialects of England, but not
retained in the current language; as _gwethall_ = _household stuff_, and
_gwlanen_ = _flannel_ in Herefordshire.
c. Common names retained in the current language.--The following list is
Mr. Garnett's:--
_Welsh._ _English._
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account