BARNES, William
BARNES, William [1801–86]. English schoolmaster, clergyman, dialectologist, and poet, born in Dorset of a farming family. In addition to textbooks, grammars, and articles on etymology, philology, archaeology, and local history, he produced a primer of OLD ENGLISH (Se Gefylsta, 1849) and collected dialect material. Most of his poetry was in DIALECT. He wrote two grammars and glossaries of the Dorset dialect, which, together with Philological Grammar (1854), compared features of STANDARD ENGLISH and the Dorset dialect with those of other languages. As a teacher and clergyman, he was distressed by the intricacies of English vocabulary, blaming its shortcomings, as he saw them, on its HYBRID nature. He set out therefore to counteract the classical influence. He revived Old English usages, such as hearsomeness and forewit to replace obedience and caution, drew on dialect, using fore-elders and outstep to replace ancestors and remote, made LOAN TRANSLATIONS from other Germanic languages, such as birdlore and speechlore to replace ornithology and grammar, and coined new words on VERNACULAR principles, such as birdstow and beestow to replace aviary and apiary. Although his PURISM had little impact, it was comparable to that in other parts of 19c Europe.
More From encyclopedia.com
Norse , NORSE Also Old Norse, Scandinavian, and (with particular reference to its use in England) DANISH. The SCANDINAVIAN LANGUAGES in an early, relatively… British English , BRITISH ENGLISH Short from BrE. The English language as used in Britain. The phrase contrasts with kinds of ENGLISH used elsewhere, and especially wi… Otto Jespersen , JESPERSEN, (Jens) Otto (Harry) [1860–1943]. Danish linguist and authority on LANGUAGE TEACHING and the GRAMMAR of English. Born at Randers, Jutland,… anglicism , ANGLICIZE AmE & BrE, Anglicise AusE & BrE [with and without an initial capital].
1. To make (someone or something) English in nationality, culture, o… Modern English , MODERN ENGLISH, short form ModE, MnE. Also sometimes New English.
1. The third stage in the history and development of the ENGLISH language, c.1450 t… Old English , The Old English comprised those whose ancestors had settled in Ireland since the twelfth century. They preserved an English lifestyle, incorporating…
About this article
William Barnes
All Sources -
You Might Also Like
NEARBY TERMS
William Barnes