hey all...i've got to write an essay on ...ahh..this is the topic- "The English Language" observed Ralph Waldo Emerson, "is the the sea which recieves tributaries from every region under heaven". Prove this metaphor is true.
now, i am conufsed as to what i should let into my essay. I have the following ideas for my thesis+subthesis.
1) The language of english is made up of words that have been derived from languages spoken around the world. the spread of British rule, increase in trade and navigation during the renaissance period and _____________________(third one?) have all contributed towards incorporating new words derived from different languages into the English Language seen today.
2) the language of english is made up of words that have been borrowed from languages spoken in different regions around the world. it consists of words taken from regions such as South East Asia, Europe and North America.
what i dont get, is which one would be the best ot use?
Greetings!
I think you have a good start with your ideas. You are basically considering two separate theses, one having to do with how English has spread across the globe to become the language of choice in many areas of commerce, politics and leisure; the other about the linguistic origins of English. The way I read Emerson's metaphor, the second choice may be a closer match, but I think you might be able to combine them.
How about something like this:
The English language developed from a Germanic branch of the Indo-European family of languages with contributions from many other languages across Europe. It has evolved over centuries to become almost a universal language, spanning the globe with its economic and cultural influence.
In order to prove the metaphor's truth, you will need to delve into the history of the English language in order to discuss the "tributaries from every region under heaven."
I hope this helps!
Thanks,
Sarah, EssayForum.com
thank you for the help. we have been taught the history of english language, so basically all i need to do, is include examples of the origins of a few words taken from different regions, right? i was wondering if you would be able to have a look at my rough draft.
thanks again!
Greetings!
That sounds like a good approach. I'd be happy to take a look at your rough draft and help you with editing, if need be.
Thanks!
Sarah, EssayForum.com
this is my introduction paragraph, i consulted a teacher, and she said that my thesis and subthesis are facts, and not arguments. how would i change it to make it into an argument?
English, a wonderfully rich and eclectic tongue, has evolved over centuries to become almost a universal language, spanning the globe with its economic and cultural influence. The language of english has developed from a Germanic branch of the Indo-european family of languages with contributions from many other languages spoken in different regions around the world. it consists of words taken from regions such as South East Asia, Europe and North America.
the first sentence is the General statement. and the next two are my thesis and subthesis.
Thanks!
im also not sure as to what to include in my body paragraphs, and how to state the examples. Your help would be greatly appreciated.
Greetings!
Your thesis should state an argument and the rest of your paper will be used to support that argument. Here's an idea:
"The English Language" observed Ralph Waldo Emerson, "is the the sea which recieves tributaries from every region under heaven." English, a wonderfully rich and eclectic tongue, has evolved over centuries to become almost a universal language, spanning the globe with its economic and cultural influence. It is precisely because of the tributaries from which English received its beginnings that the language is so popular today. Retaining the simplest and the clearest parts of the languages it is made from, English is a hybrid, the best of the best.
Now, I don't know for a fact that that's true; perhaps the history you've been taught will tell you. I have been told, however, by my Spanish and Portuguese-speaking friends, that English verb forms are much easier. From my own experience, I know that it's much easier not to have to deal with assigning a gender to everything, as those languages and many others, like French and Italian, do. So, I think my argument could probably be supported.
See if that helps you get started!
Thanks,
Sarah, EssayForum.com
thank you. here's my rough draft...these are the introductory paragraph, and the first 2 body paragraphs.
"THe English Language" observed Ralph Waldo Emerson, "is the sea which recieves tributaries from every region under heaven". English, a wonderfully rich and eclectic tongue, has evolved over centuries to become almost a universal language, spanning the globe with its economic and cultural influence. it is precisely because of the 'tributaries' from which English recieved its beginnings, that the language has bought people around the world closer than ever before. Numerous invasions of the British Isles, then known as Britannia, since 450 CE, colonization of a large part of the world by the British Empire, and the use of English language in trade and buisness today, have all helped incorporate words into the English Language.
The many conquests Britannia endured, have contributed to the formation of English as we see it today. For example, the Anglo-Saxons conqured the island of Britannia around CE 450.This led to the language of Anglo Saxons to be influenced by that of their neighbours, the Celts. The Cletic influence is evident from words taken from the Celtic language such as cradle, glen and whisky. Anglo-Saxon, which was now called Old English, was also influenced by the Latin words-such as 'street' from 'strata', and 'cup' from 'cuppa'- which were left behind when Romans invaded Britannia three hundred years before the Anglo-Saxons. Similarly, the Viking invasion of Britannia around CE 850, led to the inclusion of Norse words and pronouns into Old English. English words such as happy, fellow, leg, and low, and pronouns they, them, their are all additions of Old Norse. Furthermore, after the conquest of Britannia by France in the Battle of Hastings, French became the language of the nobles, and many french words, like law, judge, and chivalry, were incorporated into the English language. Because the invasion of Britannia by the Angles, Saxons, Jutes, Vikings and French led to the inclusion of many english words that have French, Anglo-Saxon, Latin and Greek origins, English has brought people speaking these languages across the European subcontinent closer together.
After 1400 A.D, British colonialism spread to such an extent, that teh British commonwealth consisted of over 1/4th of the Globe by the year 1800.Colonialism greatly enhanced the vocabulary of english. the british rulers had to extend their vocabulary and include words from the languages spoken in the occupied countries, so as to interact better with the people and to express themselves clearly. For example, during the british rule in India, the Raj (British Rulers) included words into english from the native languages such as hindi, sanskrit, urdu, tamil, malayalam, and marathi. The word 'shampoo' comes from the hindi word 'champo' meaning 'to massage, wash or rub' and the word 'bandana' comes from the hindi word 'bandhna' which means 'to tie'. Similarly, the colonization of Austrailia by the British also resulted in the inclusion of words such as 'Kangaroo' and 'Boomerang' which were taken from the native languages spoken in Austrailia. Likewise, Africa contributed words from the Arabic language while under the rule of British. Words such as 'Orange' (from 'Naranj') and 'Girraffe' (from 'Ziraffe') take its roots from Arabic. Hence, the world-wide expansion of the British rule resulted in bringing people together through the language of English.
Finally, English language has turned the word into a global village through the spread of trade and commerce. Many different languages are used in the international business, and English remains the most widely used language of business. People from all over the world with various different native languages can now interact with each other using a common language- English. in addition, the rise of technlogy has led to the age of computers- which is now the means of mass communication. through the use of internet, people from all over the world, from all walks of life, with different language, are able to communicate using language of English. And English, being an open language, now gets Loanwords and hybrid dialects, such as the mixture of Hindi and English to form Hinglish, and the mixture of Spanish and English to form Spanglish, at a much faster rate from all corners of the world. In the world of business and technology new words from different languages from places of commerce and trade, thereby adding to the already vast ''sea of English Language". Therefore, the rise of Globalism ,International Business, and rise of Technology has made the otherwise large world, a smaller place.
In conclusion, the numerous invasions of the island of Britannia by tribes belonging to many different parts of the world, the colonization of a large part of the world by the British Empire, and the spread of English through the spread of trade and commerce have all played a par in bringing people from all places around the world closer together through the common ground of language, and have also contributed towards the build up of English vocabulary by lending words from many languages spoken across the world into forming new English words.English is probably the only language, which is formed out of languages spoken regions around the world. From languages that are used in day to day life, to languages that are now discreet, English consists of them all. In sync, the above reinforces the face thatRalph Waldo Emerson's metaphor, stating that english is derived from languages all over the world, stands to be true.
Today, English language is a pioneer of international equity.
i need help with the conclusion...>_<
