美国英语.doc

第九章美国英语Ⅰ. 美国英语形成的历史概况Ⅱ.美国英语的特点一、保守性和创造性二、表达的累赘和简洁三、词汇的混杂性Ⅲ. 美国英语与英国英语的区别 Exercises answers Ⅰ.美国英语形成的历史概况美国英语是十七世纪开始产生的。十七世纪初, 英国开始向北美进行殖民活动。当时, 英国资本主义经济已经相当发达,资产阶级和新贵族要求进行海外掠夺。 1606 年,英国的一些大商人和大地主组织了" 伦敦公司"和" 普利茅斯公司" ,他们从英王那里得到" 特许状", 取得在北美洲建立殖民地的特权。 1607 年, " 伦敦公司" 派出一支殖民队伍在北美洲东海岸建立了第一座城镇-- 詹姆士敦( Jamestown )。它后来成了弗吉尼亚殖民地的主要城市, 英国是依靠它在美洲大陆上站稳脚跟的。从 1607 年到 1732 年的一百二十多年间,英国殖民者在北美东部先后建立了十三个殖民地。这十三个殖民地是: 北部四个-- 马萨诸塞( Massachusetts )、罗德艾兰( Rhode Island )、新罕布什尔( New Hampshire ) 、康涅狄克( Connecticut ) ,后加上缅因( Maine )和佛蒙特( Vermont ) 合称新英格兰( New England ); 中部四个-- 宾夕法尼亚( Pennsylvania )、纽约( New York ) 、新泽西( New Jersey ) 、特拉华( Delaware ) ;南部五个-- 弗吉尼亚( Virginia ) 、马里兰( Maryland )、北卡罗来纳( North Carolina )、南卡罗来纳( South Carolina )、佐治亚( ia )。这十三个殖民地中通用的语言是英语。当时英国殖民者所用的英语基本上是伊丽莎白时代英语( Elizabethan English )。现我们从 William Bradford 的 History of Plimmoth Plantatio n 中摘录一段文字来说明殖民地时期美国英语的状况: In these hard and difficulte beginnings they found some discontents and murmurings arise amongst some, and mutinous speeches and carriages in other, but they were soone quelled and e by the wisdome, patience and just and equall carrage of things by the Gov (erno)r and better part, which clave faithfully togeather in the maine. But that which was most sadd and lamentable was, that in2 or3 hs time halfe of pany dyed, espetialy in Jan: and February, being the depth of winter, and wanting houses and forts; being infected with the scurvie and other diseases, which this long voiage and their odate condition had brought upon them; so as ther dyed some times 2 or3 ofa day, in the aforesaid time; that of 100 and odd persons, scarce 50 remained. And of these in the time of most distres, ther was but 6 or7 sound persons, who ... spared no pains, night norday, but with abundance of toil and hazard of their owne health, fetched them woode, made them fires, drest them meat, made their beads, washed their lothsome cloaths, cloathed and uncloathed them; ina word, did all the homly and necessarye offices for them ... and