THE EXPANSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE AND THE FURTHER SPREAD OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Subject: History of the English Language II

Student: Ana Garanto

EXPANSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

Approximately from 16th century to 20th century

During the 18th century, the expansion was bigger

The largest empire in history

Occupied a quarter of the earth’s surface

“The sun never sets on the British Empire”

EXPANSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

IRELAND:

16th century -> Plantations of Ireland

English and Scottish settled

Protestant vs. Catholic

Republic of Ireland

Northern Ireland

EXPANSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

USA:

In the 16th century there were some attempts

1604 British in Northern America

First colonies in the East

Religious missionaries

Colonisation afterwards to the south and to the west

13 colonies in the war against Britain

Independence

USA is formed by 50 states nowadays

EXPANSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

THE CARIBBEAN:

During the 17th century, British were established in Antigua, Barbados, Jamaica, St. Kitts, Trinidad and Tobago.

Tobacco and sugar plantations

Black slaves imported

EXPANSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

CANADA:

British imperial control 1764 – 1867

17th century -> begins penetration of British

During the 18th century -> greater immigration

Canada won from the French in 1763

Scottish colonies (1815 – 1875)

Queen Elizabeth II

Colonies in America -> the first ones outside of Europe

EXPANSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

INDIA:

In 1600 -> East India Company founded

Trade

Consequent settlements

Problems with France

1761 -> British colony

Other parts of India -> after 1858

Independence from UK -> 1947

Republic established -> 1950

EXPANSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

AUSTRALIA:

Captain Cook’s voyages -> 1768 – 1779

1788 -> first large British settlement

A penal colony

Sheep

Gold rush -> 1950s

Aborigine people -> diminished

Queen Elizabeth II

EXPANSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

NEW ZEALAND:

Captain Cook’s voyages -> 1768 – 1779

Trade Food Metal tools Weapons

Aborigine people -> diminished

Maoris more important nowadays

Queen Elizabeth II

EXPANSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

SOUTH AFRICA:

1795 -> Cape of Good Hope

British vs. Dutch

British went also northwards -> Zimbabwe

Port for merchants going to India and Australia Diamonds and gold discovered

Problems with the Boer 1803 -> Cape Town returned to Dutch 1806 -> Cape Town colony again to Britain

Independence from UK -> 20th century 1961 -> Republic

EXPANSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

WEST AND EAST AFRICA:

Colonies and protectorates

19th century

West Africa Gambia, Sierra Leona, Ghana, Nigeria Trade, military base purposes Many slaves to America

East Africa Kenya, Egypt, Sudan, Botswana, Uganda Crops, farms

EXPANSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

After 1945 -> decolonisation of the British Empire

Commonwealth of Nations Political union 1931 Consider the successor of the British Empire Symbolic head -> Queen Elizabeth II Formed by former British colonies

EXPANSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

EXPANSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

EXPANSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

EXPANSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

EXPANSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE

EXPANSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIREM

ap o

f the B

ritish E

mpire

in 1

92

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EXPANSION OF THE BRITISH EMPIREC

om

monw

ealth

now

adays

SPREAD OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

English imposed in the colonies

Language brought by: Settlers, soldiers, merchants, administrators,

missionaries

Education and Administration

Official or semi-official nowadays

Late-Modern English -> more words than previous

English borrowed many words

SPREAD OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

USA -> 19th century -> English established

Canada -> from 1880 on -> English arrived at Pacific Coast

Australia -> after Gold Rush (1851)

New Zealand -> 20th century

South Africa -> spoken by an important minority (civil servants, educators, financiers, military, trade, industry)

East and West Africa -> 19th century

SPREAD OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Different dialects and regional varieties

Pidgins and Creole languages

Different accents

Loanwords (borrowed words from other languages)

SPREAD OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE

Barbecue, cannibal (Caribbean)

Bungalow, pyjamas, shampoo, bangle, bandana, cashmere, jungle, mandarin, nirvana (India)

Hickory, moccasin, moose, sequoia, toboggan, totem (American Indian languages)

Banana, Boer, gorilla, voodoo, zebra (Africa – directly from native languages or through Dutch and Portuguese)

Boomerang, kangaroo (Australia)

SPREAD OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGEEnglish

-speakin

g w

orld

(Dark

Blu

e =

English

spoke

n n

ativ

ely

// Light B

lue =

O

ther p

lace

s where

English

is offi

cial

CONCLUSION

British Empire -> powerful and important

Former colonies still in contact

Some territories still under the rule of UK

The British Empire -> great influence for the world

English language expanded at the same time than British Empire

English still official or, at least, used nowadays

Different regional dialects

Language changes (loanwords)

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Fisiak, J. An Outline History of English. Poznan: Kantor Wydawniczy Saww, 1995.

Gelderen, Elly van. A History of the English Language. John Benjamins Publishing Company: Amsterdam, 2006.

Johnson, Robert. British Imperialism. Palgrave Macmillan: New York, 2003.

Internet sources: http://english-fans.tgim1.edusite.ru/p16aa1.html http://www.anglik.net/englishlanguagehistory.htm http://www.white-history.com/hwr46.htm http://www.britishempire.co.uk/ http://www.ozedweb.com/history/

oz_british_empire_growth.htm http://www.ozedweb.com/history/

oz_british_empire_growth.htm Wikipedia: “Commonwealth”, “British Empire”, “English-

speaking world”