History of the English language (education) facts for kids
The history of the English language (often called HEL) is a subject taught in schools and colleges. It helps students understand how the English language has changed over many centuries. If you study English or plan to become a teacher, you might take a class like this. It's like learning the story of how English became the language we speak today!
Contents
What You Learn in HEL
Since HEL is often the only class about language for English students, it teaches you some basic ideas about how languages work. You'll learn about sounds in words (phonetics), different ways people speak (dialects), and how languages are related to each other (language families).
You also learn about the different stages English has gone through:
- Old English: This was spoken a very long time ago, before the year 1100. It sounds very different from modern English.
- Middle English: Spoken from about 1100 to 1500. This is when famous writers like Geoffrey Chaucer wrote.
- Early Modern English: Used from about 1500 to 1800. This is the English of William Shakespeare.
- Modern English: This is the English we speak and write today.
Other topics you might explore in HEL include:
- How the English language first started and grew.
- Where words come from (etymology) and how our vocabulary has changed.
- How words get their meanings and how we express ideas.
- The importance of dictionaries and other reference books.
- The many different ways English is spoken around the world.
Why Study the History of English?
Many college professors believe that learning the history of English is very important. They think it helps future English teachers understand the language better. For example, a study in 1952 found that many department heads wanted teachers to have taken a HEL course.
Helping Future Teachers
Some experts, like J. E. Graves in 1956, said that proper HEL courses are a must for any future English teacher. They felt it was important for teachers to deeply understand the language they would be teaching.
Albert C. Baugh, a professor and author of a famous HEL textbook, agreed. In 1961, he explained that HEL teaches skills useful for literature teachers. For instance, knowing how words changed over time helps when reading older texts by authors like Shakespeare. It also helps with understanding old pronunciations and grammar.
Helping Students Learn
Some educators also believe that learning about the history of English can help students with reading and spelling. Marcia Henry, for example, suggested it can help students, especially those with dyslexia, understand how words are built.
HEL in High School
In high school, the place of HEL is not always clear. Not everyone agrees that younger students need to learn about the subject. A linguist named James Ney found that high school textbooks often only briefly mention the history of English. If it's there, it usually talks about where words come from or how to use a dictionary.
Even though some plans in the past suggested teaching more HEL in elementary and high schools, it hasn't become a common part of the school day.
Notable Textbooks
Here are some well-known textbooks used to teach the history of the English language:
- Algeo, John: The Origins and Development of the English Language
- Baugh, Albert Croll and Thomas Cable: A History of the English Language
- Hogg, Richard Hogg and David Denison: A History of the English Language
- Millward, C.M. and Mary Hayes: A Biography of the English Language
