Beginnings of the Modern English Period

 

The period of Modern English extends from the sixteenth century through our days. The beginning of this period was a witness of the drastic change between the Middle English language and the English that we speak nowadays. This change consisted on redistributing the vowel phonemes to their actual state, as well as the standardizing of the spelling  due to the printing press and the beginning of the direct influence of Latin and, to a lesser extent, Greek. Later, as English came into contact with other cultures around the world, distinctive dialects of English developed in the many areas which Britain had colonized, numerous other languages made small but interesting contributions to the word-stock of English.

            Since about 1650, English has been more stable than any previous stage in the history of the English language. If we compare the English of 1300, better known as the Middle English Period, to the English of 1650, and then the English of 1650 to that of 2000 we will notice that there cannot be a comparison between them, as the dialects of 1300 are very different from the English of 1650, which was being standardized.  On the other hand, the English of 1650 is pretty similar to the English that we speak, and as a consequence it does not need a translation or modification in order to be understandable.

Nevertheless, one of the most common literature of the moment was poetry. Poets such as John Milton or writers like Shakespeare are good examples of this period of English.  It may be strange for actual readers to understand poems of John Milton because of its complexity, but only because it expresses difficult concepts.

When I consider how my light is spent

Ere half my days, in this dark world and wide,

And that one talent which is death to hide

Lodged with me useless, though my soul more bent

To serve therewith my Maker, and present

My true account, lest he returning chide,-

Doth God exact day-labor, light denied?

I fondly ask:-But Patience, to prevent

That murmur, soon replies; God doth not need

Either man's work, or his own gifts: who best

Bear his mild yoke, they serve him best: His state

Is kingly; thousands at his bidding speed

And post o'er land and ocean without rest:-

They also serve who only stand and wait.

This poem may seem difficult to understand, as its grammatical structure is al little different and the meaning of some words is unknown for us, but they are few words compared to the words we use nowadays. Some words such as "fondly" or the abbreviation "o'er" may seem odd, and it is comprehensible because this is Modern English, from 350 years ago.

Two significant changes since 1650 or so, that marked the precise moment in time between Middle and Modern English, are the loss of the second-person singular pronoun and a vowel-shift in the 'RP' "ask" words.

An important detail to remark is that in this period of time, Shakespeare's writings were made.  In this English, "thou" and "you" are quite distinct. "You" is both the plural form and the form used in respectful address. When common people used to talk to nobles,  when children talked to adults, when they talked to a stranger whom they wanted to show respect, they would say "you." To friends, children, social inferiors, and to God, the pronoun of address was "thou."