LANGUAGE, POWER AND AUTHORITY LECTURE 2 GEOFFROY DE VILLEHARDOUIN CONQUESTE DE CONSTANTINOPLE

LANGUAGE, POWER AND AUTHORITY

LECTURE 2

GEOFFROY DE VILLEHARDOUINCONQUESTE DE CONSTANTINOPLE

HIGH STATUS/LOW STATUS

Functions High Low

Religion Yes NoEducation Yes NoAdmin/Law Yes NoTalking to a child No YesTalking to servants No Yes“Literature” Yes NoFolk-tales No Yes

HIGH-STATUS LANGUAGES

1. ACCEPTANCE

2 CODIFICATION

3. ELABORATION

A French manuscript of the Lancelot legend.  Illuimination shows Lancelot and Guinivere.  Thirteenth century.

THE CRUSADES

• 1095: 1ST CRUSADE

• 1099: TAKES JERUSALEM

• 1145: 2ND CRUSADE

• 1187: FALL OF JERUSALEM

• 1188: 3RD CRUSADE (PHILIP AND RICHARD COEUR DE LION)

• 1204: 4TH CRUSADE

Available as a 1000x1500 pixel JPEG.

The original four horses adorning St. Mark's Cathedral (replicas are installed outside today)

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Declension of nouns

Sing. Pl.

• Li murs Li mur

• Le mur Les murs

Word Order

Verb Subject

Ensi furent mult cumunel li Grieu et li

Francois de totes choses …..

Word Order

Del damage ne de l’avoir ne de la richesse

Vb Subj.

qui la fu perdue ne vos porroit nus conter …

Pronouns – or lack of …

Or poez savoir …..

Et ne sai …….

Vocabulary -- lexis

• Saintuaires < Lat. sanctuarius, c. 1160

Cf.

• Apostele < apostulus, c. 1100

• Virgene < virgine, c. 1140

• Angele < angulus, c. 1140

Vocabulary – lexis

• Cumunel, = united, c. 1208

• Criminel < criminalis, c. 1174

• Defense < defensa, c. 1240

• Testimonie < testimonia, c. 1230

• Heriter < hereditare, c. 1150

Vocabulary -- lexis

• Papegai < Arabic babbegac, 1190

• Girafe < Arabic zurafa, 1280

• Arsenal < Arabic d’ar-senac, 1266

• Alchimie < Arabic al-Kimija, c. 1260