Assignment (2) E-learning task: Language Change and Variation

Song of Solomon 1 (King James Version)
Song of Solomon 1

1 The song of songs, which is Solomon's.

2 Let him kiss me with the kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.

3 Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.

4 Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

5 I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.

6 Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me: my mother's children were angry with me; they made me the keeper of the vineyards; but mine own vineyard have I not kept.

7 Tell me, O thou whom my soul loveth, where thou feedest, where thou makest thy flock to rest at noon: for why should I be as one that turneth aside by the flocks of thy companions?

8 If thou know not, O thou fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents.

9 I have compared thee, O my love, to a company of horses in Pharaoh's chariots.

10 Thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels, thy neck with chains of gold.

11 We will make thee borders of gold with studs of silver.

12 While the king sitteth at his table, my spikenard sendeth forth the smell thereof.

13 A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me; he shall lie all night betwixt my breasts.

14 My beloved is unto me as a cluster of camphire in the vineyards of Engedi.

15 Behold, thou art fair, my love; behold, thou art fair; thou hast doves' eyes.

16 Behold, thou art fair, my beloved, yea, pleasant: also our bed is green.

17 The beams of our house are cedar, and our rafters of fir.

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Song%20of%20Solomon%201&version=KJV

Group Write Up

Chosen Text: Song of Solomon 1 (As cited from the King James Version Bible)

Origin, Translated Variety and Audience

This text illustrates English used during the Early Modern English Period between Year 1500 to 1800.

The lyrical poem ‘Song of Solomon 1’ was written by King Solomon in the Hebrew language to extol the virtues of love between a husband and wife.
However, due to Reformation and Counter-Reformation events, religious scholars from the Church of England translated the original Hebrew language used in the bible to English in the King James Version. This benefitted various groups like the Puritans, who had difficulties with the earlier translations.

In modern day era, our text caters to all readers of the bible although it used to serve a powerful group of people who were aristocrats, bishops and church-goers.

Variation of Language

Using a Diachronic Approach, the following illustrates how language varies from Early Modern English period to Present-day Modern English.

- Phonetics Spelling
[Verse 5] Words like ‘O’ and ‘Ye’ used in the text have been modified phonetically to ‘Oh’ and ‘You’ respectively in present-day English.

- Lexical Change
[Verse 8] The word ‘fairest’ is used to denote beauty. In present-day English, we have a larger variety of words which we could use to describe things. Words such as pretty, sexy, hot, stunning are used to denote the different degrees of beauty.

- Grammatical Change
Throughout the text, words like ‘thou’ and ‘thee’ are used to indicate singular second-person pronoun whereas ‘ye’ is used to indicate the plural form. However in present-day English, we have standardised the use of the pronoun ‘you’.

2nd Person Pronoun

Singular (King James Version): Thou, Thee
Singular (Modern English): You

Plural (King James Version): Ye
Plural (Modern English): You

Additionally, the suffix ‘eth’ in ‘loveth’ and ‘turneth’ represents the archaic third-person singular present tense. In present-day English, they have been replaced by ‘loves’ and ‘turns’ respectively.

Main Factors causing Change/Variation

The lack of uniformity in spelling and the hassle of using multiple pronouns have led to the need for a more standardised form of language. As such, dictionaries such as Samuel Johnson's, published in 1755, has been influential in establishing a standard form of spelling for the masses.

As language develops with globalisation, we have a wider vocabulary that enables us to use words to demonstrate different degrees of similar meaning. For instance, the word ‘behold’ (verse 15) is synonymous to present-day words like perceive, look upon, observe, consider etc.

There is also liberation from old-fashioned concepts, filtering out discriminatory terms. Words like ‘Thou’ that was first used when addressing superior individuals is now used to refer to strangers and eventually all equals.

As the masses adapt to the affordances and constraints of new communications technology, there is a language preference for us to be more precise and practical. For example, instead of saying ‘thy cheeks are comely with rows of jewels’ (verse 10), we use the expression ‘your cheeks glow’ to convey the same intended meaning.

Features of Text (Social Setting, Background & Relationship between Language users)

Originating from a Jewish background, the features of text depict the culture, from the lifestyles of the commoners to that of the king. The choice of words relate to the way of life and practices in Israel:

- Origin: (daughters of) Jerusalem

- Nature: Cedar, Fir, horses (used as a source of transport)

- Upper class terms: King, chamber, wine, Pharaoh, Chariots, Borders of Gold, chains of gold, studs of silver, Spikenard (Fragrant), Myrrh ( expensive perfume), rows of jewels, ointments, Curtains, fairest (Sophisticated Beauty), company of horses

- Lower-class terms: Keeper of the Vineyards, Shepherds, Tents of Kedar, Black, flock, shepherd’s tents

The text uses metaphorical expressions where objects/animals are used to convey an idea.
For example, the expression ‘the sun hath looked upon me’ is used to describe someone as weather-beaten or tanned.

In another instance, the phrase ‘doves’ eyes’ is used as an expression of beauty for women.

Pedagogical Purpose

Learning from the metaphorical expressions used in this text, we can educate students to appropriately use prevalent objects/animals to describe things/ideas. Examples would be: Phoenix eyes, Almond-shaped eyes, Doe-eyed etc.

We can encourage our students to use similes like ‘as cunning as a fox’ and ‘as proud as a peacock’ in descriptive writing.

Finally, students can be taught to derive and associate connotations to words. This is crucial especially for understanding comprehension passages. In the example of ‘A bundle of myrrh is my well-beloved unto me’, they can identify the connotation of the sweet fragrance of one’s lover upon him.

Word Count: 722

Done By:

Nur Farzlinda Remie Iskander
U0960115F

Clara Khoo Jie Hui
U0960059F

Mazeedah Binte Mohamed Azmi
U0960086J

Ferdusbee Binte Jainul Hussain
U0960030D