The Origins And Development Of English Question Paper

The Origins And Development Of English

Course:Bachelor Of Education English

Institution: Kenyatta University question papers

Exam Year:2010

KENYATTA UNIVERSITY
UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS 2009/2010
SECOND SEMESTER EXAMINATION FOR THE DEGREE OF BACHELOR OF
ARTS
AEN 310:
THE ORIGINS AND DEVELOPMENT OF ENGLISH

=================================================================
DATE:
FRIDAY 9TH APRIL 2010
TIME: 8.00 A.M. ? 10.00 A.M.

INSTRUCTIONS
Answer Question ONE and any Two other Questions.

1.
a)
Explain the role played by the following groups in the development of

English:

i)
The Germanic Invaders

(5 marks)

ii)
The Norman Conguerers

(5 marks)

b)
Study the data below and answer the questions that follow:

OLD ENGLISH NOUN DECLENSIONS

Masculine
Neuter
Femine

Singular

NOMINATIVE Hund 'dog'
d?or 'animal'
ides
''noman'

ACCUSATIVE Hund
d?or
idese

GENITIVE
Hundes
d?ores
idese

DATIVE
Hunde
d?ore
idese

Plural

NOMINATIVE Hundas
d?or
idesa

ACCUSATIVE Hundas
d?or
idesa

GENITIVE
hunda
d?ora
idesa

DATIVE
hundum
d?orum
idesum

Page 1 of 2

i)
Establish any three patterns of Noun declensions in old English.
(3 marks)

ii)
Explain how the three patterns established in (i) above are determined by the
category of

-
GENDER

(5 marks)

-
NUMBER

(5 marks)

-
CASE

(7 marks)

2.
a)
Using suitable data compare Modern English personal pronouns with those of

old English showing the similarities and differences between them.

(15 marks)

b)
Do you think that modern English Personal pronouns are more similar to, or

more different from the old English ones? Why?

(5 marks)

3.
a)
With examples, briefly describe the main divisions of the Indo-European

language group showing the place of the English language in this family.

(10 marks)

b)
Discuss three factors that have led to English becoming an important

language in commonwealth countries such as Kenya.

(10 marks)

4.
Using two examples for each, discuss five major changes effected on the English

language words during the Middle English period.

(20 marks)

5.
a)
With an example for each distinguish between the following:

i)
Week and strong verb declensions.

(5 marks)

ii)
Grimm's and Verner's Laws.

(5 marks)

b)
With the aid of four examples clearly explain how modern English came to

acquire devices of indicating comparative and superlative forms. (10 marks)
Page 2 of 2

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