English · Year 7 · Language and Identity · Term 3

The Evolution of English Language

A look at how historical events, cultural contact, and technology have shaped the English language over time.

• ACARA Content Descriptions
• AC9E7LA02
• AC9E7LA03

About This Topic

The English language is a living, breathing entity that has been shaped by centuries of historical events, migration, and technological change. In Year 7, students explore how English has evolved from its Germanic roots to become a global 'lingua franca.' This topic aligns with ACARA's focus on understanding how the English language has changed over time and how it continues to be influenced by other languages and cultures.

Students investigate how new words enter the dictionary (neologisms) and why others fall out of use. They also explore the impact of digital communication on modern grammar and spelling. This topic comes alive when students can act as 'language detectives,' tracing the origins of everyday words and predicting how English might change in the future through collaborative investigations.

Key Questions

1. Explain how new words enter the dictionary and why others disappear from common usage.
2. Analyze in what ways digital communication has changed the grammar and conventions of English.
3. Justify how the borrowing of words from other languages enriches the English vocabulary.

Learning Objectives

• Analyze the impact of historical events, such as the Norman Conquest, on the development of English vocabulary.
• Explain the processes by which new words are created and adopted into the English language.
• Evaluate the influence of digital communication technologies on contemporary English grammar and spelling conventions.
• Justify how the adoption of loanwords from various languages has historically enriched the English lexicon.

Before You Start

Parts of Speech

Why: Understanding nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs is fundamental to analyzing how word meanings and functions change over time.

Basic Sentence Structure

Why: Students need to recognize subject-verb agreement and basic clause construction to analyze changes in grammar and conventions.

Key Vocabulary

Neologism	A newly coined word or expression that has become accepted into common usage. Examples include 'selfie' or 'binge-watch'.
Etymology	The study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout history. Tracing a word's etymology can reveal historical connections.
Loanword	A word adopted from one language into another, retaining its original meaning. English has many loanwords from French, Latin, and Greek.
Archaism	A word, expression, or phrase that is no longer in common use but has survived in specific contexts or has been revived. Examples include 'thou' or 'alas'.
Lingua Franca	A common language used among people of different native languages, especially in commerce, diplomacy, or science. English serves as a global lingua franca.

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

English has always been the way it is now.

What to Teach Instead

English is constantly changing. The 'Word Cemetery' activity helps students see that language is an evolutionary process, with words constantly being born and dying based on the needs of its speakers.

Common Misconception

Borrowing words from other languages is 'incorrect'.

What to Teach Instead

English is a 'mongrel' language that has grown by borrowing from over 350 other languages. The 'Etymology Scavenger Hunt' shows students that this borrowing is actually the secret to English's richness and flexibility.

Active Learning Ideas

Etymology Scavenger Hunt

Small groups are given a list of common English words (e.g., 'shampoo', 'robot', 'bungalow'). They must use online dictionaries to find which language each word was 'borrowed' from and present their findings on a world map.

45 min·Small Groups

The 'Word Cemetery' and 'Nursery'

Pairs research one 'obsolete' word (from the cemetery) and one 'new' word (from the nursery). They must explain to the class why the old word died out and what social or technological change created the new one.

40 min·Pairs

Digital Grammar Debate

The class is divided into 'Traditionalists' and 'Modernists.' They debate whether emojis and text-speak are 'ruining' English or simply evolving it into a more efficient form for the 21st century.

50 min·Whole Class

Real-World Connections

• Linguists at Oxford University Press track word usage through digital corpora and reader submissions to decide which new words, like 'rizz', meet the criteria for inclusion in the Oxford English Dictionary.
• Journalists and editors constantly adapt their writing style to evolving digital communication norms, balancing established grammar rules with the conventions of social media platforms and online articles.
• Translators working for international organizations such as the United Nations must understand the nuances of loanwords and cultural context to ensure accurate communication across different language groups.

Assessment Ideas

Exit Ticket

Provide students with a list of five words: one neologism, one archaic word, and three loanwords from different languages. Ask them to write one sentence for each, explaining its origin or why it might be falling out of use.

Discussion Prompt

Pose the question: 'How has texting or social media changed the way you write compared to writing an essay?' Facilitate a class discussion, guiding students to identify specific changes in grammar, spelling, or punctuation and their potential long-term impact.

Quick Check

Present students with a short paragraph containing several loanwords. Ask them to identify at least two loanwords and, using their prior knowledge or a provided etymology resource, suggest the original language and meaning of each.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do new words enter the dictionary?

New words (neologisms) enter the dictionary when they are used widely and consistently over a period of time. They often come from new technology (like 'selfie'), social trends, or by combining existing words in new ways.

In what ways has digital communication changed English?

Digital communication has made English more informal and visual. It has introduced abbreviations, emojis as emotional cues, and a faster, more 'speech-like' way of writing that often ignores traditional punctuation rules in casual contexts.

How can active learning help students understand language evolution?

Active learning, like the 'Digital Grammar Debate,' allows students to connect historical language changes to their own lives. By debating the 'correctness' of their own communication styles, they realize that they are active participants in the evolution of English.

Which ACARA standards cover the evolution of English?

The key standards are AC9E7LA02, which involves understanding how English has evolved over time, and AC9E7LA03, which focuses on how English has been influenced by other languages, including First Nations languages.