Published 23-06-2025
Keywords
- syntax, grammar, Old English, Middle English, modern English, Chomsky, Jespersen, word order, auxiliary verbs, universal grammar, ellipsis, phrasal verbs.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
How to Cite
Abstract
This article provides a comprehensive overview of the historical development of English syntax and grammar, from Old to Modern English. It outlines key grammatical changes and the evolution of word order, verb conjugations, and sentence structures over time. The work of major linguists such as Noam Chomsky and Otto Jespersen is highlighted to show how modern syntactic theory has been shaped. Furthermore, the article examines contemporary syntactic shifts influenced by technology, globalization, and sociocultural trends, including the rise of gender-neutral pronouns and informal digital syntax.
References
- Chomsky, N. (1957). Syntactic Structures. The Hague: Mouton.
- Chomsky, N. (1995). The Minimalist Program. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
- Jespersen, O. (1924). The Philosophy of Grammar. London: Allen Unwin.
- Baugh, A.C., Cable, T. (2012). A History of the English Language (6th ed.). Routledge.
- Crystal, D. (2010). The Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
- Barber, C., Beal, J. C., Shaw, P. A. (2009). The English Language: A Historical Introduction (2nd ed.). Cambridge University Press.
- Aarts, B. (2011). Oxford Modern English Grammar. Oxford University Press.
- Kortmann, B. (2005). English Linguistics: Essentials. Cornelsen. Huddleston, R., Pullum, G. K. (2002). The Cambridge Grammar of the English Language. Cambridge University
- Press.
- Van Gelderen, E. (2006). A History of the English Language. John Benjamins Publishing.