What were the main causes for the introduction of standardisation in the English language during the Early Modern English period?

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would take this opportunity to thank my research supervisor, family and friends for their support and guidance without which this research would not have been possible.

DECLARATION

I, [type your full first names and surname here], declare that the contents of this dissertation/thesis represent my own unaided work, and that the dissertation/thesis has not previously been submitted for academic examination towards any qualification. Furthermore, it represents my own opinions and not necessarily those of the University.

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ABSTRACT

This research highlights the causes of standardisation of English language in the Early Modern English era. Furthermore, it explores the formation of English language and its transition from Middle English to Early Modern English era. In addition to this it explains the role of printing press, Shakespeare, Bible, and the Great Vowel Shift in the standardisation of English.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTII

DECLARATIONIII

ABSTRACTIV

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION1

Aim1

Purpose1

Introduction1

CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW3

Standardisation3

Middle English5

Early Modern English Language7

The Elements of English Literary Identity9

Standardisation of English in Early modern English period11

CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY12

Research Methodology12

Research Approach12

Data Collection Procedure12

Search Technique13

Literature Search13

Ethical Considerations14

Limitations of Research15

CHAPTER 4: DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS17

Causes of Standardisations of English in Early Modern English period17

Reason Why Standardisations was Important?18

Social Attitudes Affecting Standard English20

Political Attitudes Affecting Standard English22

Grammatical rules in Early Modern English Era23

CHAPTER 5: CONCLUSION25

REFERENCES27

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Aim

The proposed aim of this dissertation is to underline the main causes for the introduction of standardisation in written English during the Early Modern English Period. To do this the researcher will first introduce the subject to the reader by analysing the situation of written English in the previous Middle English period, in order to recognise and establish why a standard form was essential and even crucial for English readers and writers during the EME period. The researcher will also cover different attitudes, political and social, surrounding the topic as well as a breakdown of the rules created by grammarians in literature of the EME period.

Purpose

The researcher has chosen this topic because he is very interested in process of standardisation and wants to further examine the causes for it in order to gain a better understanding of the state of written English before and after standardisation and prescriptivism was introduced and used. The researcher wants to also gain a better understanding of the rules and the motivations behind them. I feel it is a subject for any student of the English language to have some knowledge on to help gain a better understanding of this complex language we use every day.

Introduction

This chapter focuses on the concept of standardisation at a theoretical level and examines the standardisation of English. The view of languages and standardisation taken in this chapter and in the dissertation as a whole is that the formation of the modem European standard languages was not an inevitable development, but the end result of very specific social and political processes. The fundamental shift in thinking about language brought about by standardisation is of central importance ...