ENG501 Final Term Solved Papers by Maha Malik

Q. What is Black Death? (Topic 75)

This event is known in the history as ‘The Black Death’. It was in the summer of 1348 that in the Southwest of England, first case of this plague was reported. These were the first cases of a disease that in its contagiousness and fatality exceeded anything previously known. The Black Death spread rapidly over the rest of the country, reaching its height in 1349.40 percent of the parish clergy died of the plague. Death rate during the plague approximated 30 percent. The effects of so great a calamity were naturally serious. Mortality was greatest among the lower social orders. The question arises why mortality was greatest among the lower social orders? The answer is simple: it happened because their life style was poor, hygiene conditions were bad and affordability to medicine was very low. The result of these deaths was a labor shortage which consequently gave rise to increase in wages.

Q. Chaucer short vowels a and u (Topic 101)

If we compare Chaucer’s pronunciation of the short vowels with ours, we note only two changes of importance, those of a and u. In some cases this ME a represented an OE æ (at, apple, back), and the new pronunciation was therefore a return to approximately the form that the word had had in Old English. In Chaucer’s pronunciation these had still their so-called “continental” value—that is, a was pronounced like the a in father and not as in name. Also in Chaucer’s pronunciation e was either like the e in there or the a in mate, but not like the eei n meet.

Q. What’s the Great Vowel Shift? (Topic 102)

The situation is very different when we consider the long vowels. In Chaucer’s pronunciation, these had still their so-called ‘continental’ value—that is, a was pronounced like the ain father and not as in name. Also in Chaucer’s pronunciation e was either like the e in there or the ain mate, but not like the eein meet. But in 15th century, a great change happened i.e. all the long vowels gradually came to be pronounced with a greater elevation of the tongue and closing of the mouth. Most of the long vowels had approximately acquired their present pronunciation at least by the sixteenth century. The change occurred at the end of the seventeenth century and had become general by the middle of the eighteenth. The spelling of English had become fixed in a general way before the shift and therefore did not change when the quality of the long vowels changed. Consequently, our vowel symbols no longer correspond to the sounds they once represented in English and still represent in the other modern languages.

Q3. historical event of 1500-1650 (Topic 106)

1. Invention of printing press
2. The Norman Conquest
3. The Black Death

Q. Changing grammar 1500-1650 (Topic 107)

The case of grammar was opposite to vocabulary. Changes in vocabulary were radical. On the other hand, treatment of grammar was conservative. The question is: what do we mean by conservative? It means something or somebody that tends to preserve the existing status. There was a relationship of various agencies in this regard:

Printing press The reading habit The advances of learning Science Increased communication

The paradox of the situation was favorable to the spread of ideas and was stimulating to the growth of the vocabulary. But it created social consciousness to work actively toward the promotion and maintenance of a standard, especially in grammar and usage. So, changes in grammar have been relatively slight. But in the Middle English period changes in grammar were revolutionary

Q. Define the term conjugation (Topic 114)

Conjugation is probably a direct importation from Latin (conjugation-em) since the more usual form in French was conjugation

Q. Spread of Spanish in subcontinent? (Topic 115)

Cosmopolitan tendency Spirit of exploration and adventure Interest in the New World

Q. Three classes of English strange words: (Topic 115)

1. Inkhorn terms
2. Oversea language
3. Chaucerisms

Q. List 5 words of daily use with a silent ending or beginning? (Topic 115)

Italia · n · French Greek · Spanish/ · Portugu · ese · Latin · Mexica · n · Cuba · and · West · Indies · India

Algeb ra Balco ny Desig n Granit e Piazza Portic o Stanza Volca no Chocol ate Comra de Detail Duel Entranc e Equip Essay Cartoo n Patrol Biosphere Haemoglo bin Microspec ies Anonumo us Criterion idosyncras y Alligator Apricot Banana Corral Hammoc k Hurrican e Maize Mosquit o Potato Allusion Democrati c Imaginary Juveline Sophistica ted Aberratio n Enthusias m Chilli Chocol ate Tomato Burrito Choriz o Barbec ue Hammo ck Hurrica ne Maize Potato Tobacc o Bangle Bungal ow Cashme re China Coolie Cot Curry Jungle Polo