Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-08-24
The English Language.

| Tho following Interesting remarks on tho Eag-
lish language are from Bailey's English Grammar,
just published:
The English Language, having 6f its stapk
the Anglo Saxon Of fGermahy has been in eoftse
Of change and gradual formation for more than
thousand years. The conquest Of Britain by the
Romans, near the commencement Of the Christian
era, brought in the Latin language. The subse-
guent conqnests by the Saxons, the Angles, and
other tribes Of Germany, during the .fth and sirth
centuries, introduced the .4nglo- Saroa language,
In the middle of the eighth century, 1.-THE venera-
bic Bede," the great historian of his day, found
three languages used in Britain-the British the
Latin, and the .4nglo- Saxon. He wrote in the
Latin. The Norman conquest, again, in the
eleventh. century, introduced the Norman French.
Chaucer, the ''father of English poetry" if not
Of the English language itself, found, in the four
icenth century. the semi Saron mixed with Gae-
lie Latin and Norman French, "undisciplined in
grammar, irregular in idiom and orthography."-
He adopted the Anglo Saxon. His genius and
popularity contributed much TO bring it into use
and improve it. Hence it became, from that time,
the basis of our language. Derivations from tho
Greek and Latin have been freely engrafted on
this parent stock and also, to some extent, from
the French, Italian, Spanish, and German. From
the time of Chaucer. the English language com-
menced process of crystallization, and in the
reign of Elizabeth, in the sixteenth century, set
tied into form in the English classics Of that "Au
GUSTAV Age" of English literature. Even since
that period, changes have occurred, though less
numerous and less material.
The following quotations may serve to show the
changes in the language during the last five hun
dred years.
Extract from Chauccr, in the Fourteenth Cen
tury.
sAnd all we that ben in This aray
And maken all this lamen,ation,
We losten allie our husbondes in that toun."
From Vicklife's Translation of the Bible, in
the Sixteenth Century.
HE guyueth if to ale men aud brething, and
allie thngis, and made Won al kynde of men to in
habit or al the face of the erthe. Acts xvii. 6.
Our translation Of the Bible shows the form oS
the language in the serenteenth century.
The English language as it is, then, is the re-
suit of gradual formation during centuries. Like
all living languages, it is still in process Of
change New words and new forms ofexpression
are taking the places Of others which are becoming
obsoescent or obsolete. But changes are now less
necessary than formerly. Still, progress in every
department Of learning may require the introduc-
ton of new words OF phrases, or even new gram
matical constructions OF doms But these chan
ges, before they are admitted, must be subjected
to rigid criticism, to grammatical rule. and %
symmetry with the received language. Especial
ly should changes be resisted when the accepted
usage is required to be abandoned for unnecessary
idiom, for new rule of construction, or solecism.
We must discriminate-accept the good, and
throw the bad away. Ifa great name is found to
sanction an error, we may not implicitly follow
any more than we may practise his "Emping
gait" or initiate his '.liping tongue" There
can be no authority good enough to legaiize falss
grammar any more than bad manners or bad morals.