Language has impacted the life of every individual in the world. Studying how language has changed is important to our society. We should know what it was like when language was more advanced than ever. I think as Americans today, we have taken for granted the importance of having English as our spoken language. We don't really look at how language has changed in the just the past ten years. New words such as swag, bromance, and crunk have been added to the dictionary and it's crazy how that changes day to day. English language is so predominant today because of Anglos- Saxons people. The way we have built on to what they have already formed in a language is phenomenal. English language is also very predominant today because the changes that have taken place from Old English to New English and now Modern English. The way we can just change the English language also shows the predominance. In English class, we have looked at pieces with English that differs from the English we have today. My favorite piece of writing would have to be Beowulf. The English used in Beowulf would be Old English. The words used would be bode, awe, abode and nor.
Here are some lines from Beowulf to show how language has changed:
"His father's warrior were wound round his heart/ With golden rings, bound to their prince/ By his father's treasure. So young men build/ The future, wisely open-handed in peace,/ Protected in war; so warriors earn/ Their fame, and wealth is shaped with a sword."
"Grendel's hatred began,/ . . . the monster relished his savage war/ On the Danes, keeping the bloody feud/ Alive, seeking no peace, offering/ No truce, accepting no settlement, no price/ In gold or land, and paying the living/ For one crime only with another. No one/ Waited for reparation from his plundering claws:/ That shadow of death hunted in the darkness,/ Stalked Hrothgar's warriors.”
Here are some lines from Beowulf to show how language has changed:
"His father's warrior were wound round his heart/ With golden rings, bound to their prince/ By his father's treasure. So young men build/ The future, wisely open-handed in peace,/ Protected in war; so warriors earn/ Their fame, and wealth is shaped with a sword."
"Grendel's hatred began,/ . . . the monster relished his savage war/ On the Danes, keeping the bloody feud/ Alive, seeking no peace, offering/ No truce, accepting no settlement, no price/ In gold or land, and paying the living/ For one crime only with another. No one/ Waited for reparation from his plundering claws:/ That shadow of death hunted in the darkness,/ Stalked Hrothgar's warriors.”