Language of Robinson Crusoe Essay

Daniel Dafoes popular invigorated, origin ally titled The keep and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner Who lived Eight and twenty Years, all alone in an uninhabited Island on the Coast of America, virtually the Mouth of the Great River of Oroonoque Having been frame in on Shore by Shipwreck, wherein all the Men perished but himself. With an notice how he was at last as strangely letd by Pyrates (iii), exchangeable most classics underwent many editions through the years. However nada but the first edition, which is the basis of this essay, can give us the visit and feel of the time as intended to be shown by the power. archaeozoic MODERN ENGLISH According to Volume 14 of The Cambridge Hi floor of incline and American Literature in 18 Volumes, Early Modern slope full point marked the expansion of the use of the face speech after-school(prenominal) England. But since English was spread at various times it has been subjected to dissimilar influences and additional variations ca utilise by attempts at etymological spell (Ward et al ch 15 arc reciprocal ohmond 3 par 1). These were evident in the new(a) in two aspects of linguistic communication grammar and vocabulary (Ward et al ch 15 sec 1 par 1-2).Among the inflectional changes during the early upstart English was the dropping of the short vowel in verbs ending in ed (Ward et al. ch 15 sec 4 par. 7). Examples of these manifested not only when in the title (the sacred scripture deliverd) but within the text itself such as calld, alterd, encreasd, and fatigud. Spelling also appeared to be phonetically defective (Ward et al. ch 15 sec 3 par. 1) with words like perswasions, lyon, lye, and prophetick. Compounding of words were also used in the novel by examples of free-school, hand-maids, ground-tackle and fellow-slave.However, the change in the verbs as hearty as the defects in spelling was not applied to the entire novel which makes us consider the reasons for such use. TOWARDS A PURITY IN musical mode Daniel Defoe, in his book An testify upon Projects, emphasized that it was the responsibility of the society to culture and refine the English tongue and to purge it from all the irregular additions that ignorance and formalism have introduced as befitted the noblest and most comprehensive of all the vulgar languages in the world (8).The spread of the English language was depicted in the novel when Robinson Crusoe teaches his servant Friday the English language. We may notice from an excerpt of their discourse on a lower floor that although essentially Crusoe and Friday came to communicate effectively with each other, Fridays English differs more than from Crusoes parallel to their difference in status and origin Friday, My state of matter beat much, for all that. Master, How beat if your Nation beat them, how come you to be bear offn?Friday, They more many than my Nation in the roll where me was they take one, two, three, and me m y Nation over beat them in the yonder Place, where me no was there my Nation take one, two, great Thousand. Master, But why did not your gradient recover you from the Hands of your Enemies then? Friday, They run one, two, three, and me, and make go in the Canoe my Nation have no Canoe that time. (Defoe, Robinson Crusoe 254) Much is the aforementioned(prenominal) circumstance that brought about the variations and additions to the English language in which Defoe is clamoring for virtue (An Essay upon Projects 8).Shoar and Shore. Aside from the defective spelling mentioned earlier is the variation in the spelling (Ward et al. ch 15 sec 3 par. 1). An example if this is the word prop up, spelled shore and shoar, in different context of the novel. It may be noted that shoar was only used in the part of Robinson Crusoes mishaps. That is to say, from the part of his captivity at Sallee until before his wreck on the island. These mishaps, Crusoe later reflected on, were results of his i gnorance in the Providence of divinity fudge and malcontent thus the use of the spelling shoar.While his solitary action in the island described the learning process he underwent to survive and at last live harmoniously with his surroundings hence the renewed use of the spelling shore. In this regard, one may interpret that the use of the word was designed to show the need and difficulty in creating a standard for the English language. viz. and (viz. ). The use of foreign language in novels is quite commonality throughout the ages. As such, we came to attention on the use of the Latin word viz. Oxford English Dictionary defines viz.as the abbreviation of to wit which generally means namely or that is to say (1033). Although Defoe used viz. without excursus and viz. in parenthesis based on the kindred definition, its participation in the statement are quite different. The viz. without parenthesis was used in identifying and qualifying statements such as the All the quell of that Day I spent in afflicting my self at the raunchy Circumstances I was brought to, viz. I had neither Food, House, Clothes, Weapon, or Place to fly to (Robinson Crusoe 82). On the other hand, viz.in parenthesis, which appeared in lines like This was what I wishd for so I took them up, and servd them as we serve notorious Thieves in England, (viz. ) Hangd them in irons for a Terror to others (Robinson Crusoe 138), was used as such in bon ton to explain earlier statement. The use of parenthesis to differentiate the use of the kindred word in the novel further reflects Defoes quest for purgation of the English language as mentioned previously. CONCLUSION Indeed, regardless of the plot of the story which categorized it to fiction, the culture and language of the time is unmistakable.Robinson Crusoe, in its original version, allows us the indulgence to peek and appreciate not only the early modern English language but the period as well. The flexibility of the language then refl ected the society of that time as it has always been for any period or era. At the same time, the novel provided additional venue for the author to disseminate his ideas and further his individual attempt towards the transition to the modern English language and insertions to the importance of learning across the spectrum of the society. Such power language has to influence its readers, whether consciously or unconsciously.And the duality that the novel showed made it a favorite among children and adults alike. Fulfilling its objectives to entertain and propagate (however subtle it may be).Works CitedDefoe, Daniel. An Essay Upon Projects. stark naked York Adamant Media Corporation, 2005. Print. . The Life and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner Who lived Eight and Twenty Years, all alone in an uninhabited Island on the Coast of America, near the Mouth of the Great River of Oroonoque Having been cast on Shore by Shipwreck, wherein all the Men perished but himself.With an Account how he was at last as strangely deliverd by Pyrates. London printed for W. Taylor, 1719. Print. Oxford English Dictionary. New York Oxford University Press, 2005. Print. Ward, Aldolphus William, Sir, et al. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature. New York G. P. Putnams Sons, 1907-21 New York Bartleby. com, 2000 (Web) April 1, 2009.