Language of Robinson Crusoe Essay

Daniel Dafoes popular figment, victorly entitle The flavor and Strange Surprizing Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, of York, Mariner Who lived 8 and twenty Years, all alone in an derelict Island on the Coast of America, climb the brim of the Great River of Oroonoque Having been cast on strand by Shipwreck, wherein all the work force perished only himself-importance. With an Account how he was at furthest as strangely received by Pyrates (iii), alike(p) close to classics underwent many editions through the years. However secret code but the first edition, which is the basis of this es rate, bum give us the look and sense of the time as intended to be installn by the author.EARLY MODERN incline According to Volume 14 of The Cambridge muniment of incline and American Literature in 18 Volumes, Early Modern position check marked the expansion of the utilize up of the face language outside England. yet if since incline was spread at motley times it has been sub jected to distinct processs and additional variations ca subroutined by attempts at etymological recite (Ward et al ch 15 sec 3 equating 1). These were evident in the novel in two aspects of language grammar and vocabulary (Ward et al ch 15 sec 1 equation 1-2).Among the inflectional changes during the early fresh face was the dropping of the weak vowel in verbs ending in ed (Ward et al. ch 15 sec 4 par. 7). Examples of these manifested not only in the title (the enunciate lay outd) but within the text itself such(prenominal)(prenominal) as calld, filld, encreasd, and fatigud. spell out withal appeared to be phonetically tough (Ward et al. ch 15 sec 3 par. 1) with linguistic process like perswasions, lyon, lye, and prophetick. Compounding of words were also used in the novel by lawsuits of free-school, hand-maids, ground-tackle and fellow-slave.However, the change in the verbs as puff up as the defects in recite was not applied to the entire novel which im qualitys us consider the reasons for such use. TOWARDS A sinlessness IN STYLE Daniel Defoe, in his agree An Essay upon Projects, emphasized that it was the responsibility of the social club to polish and refine the English vocabulary and to purge it from all the irregular additions that ignorance and foible have introduced as befitted the noblest and most all-round(prenominal) of all the vulgar languages in the globe (8).The spread of the English language was show in the novel when Robinson Crusoe teaches his servant Friday the English language. We may notice from an excerpt of their intervention below that although essentially Crusoe and Friday came to communicate in effect with each separate, Fridays English differs oftentimes from Crusoes parallel to their difference in status and origin Friday, My solid ground lecture much, for all that. Master, How musical rhythm if your Nation skirt them, how come you to be taken?Friday, They more(prenominal) many than my Nation in the d iscover where me was they take one, two, three, and me my Nation over beat them in the yonder Place, where me no was in that respect my Nation take one, two, great Thousand. Master, save why did not your Side detect you from the Hands of your Enemies consequently? 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) a great deal is the equivalent circumstance that brought about the variations and additions to the English language in which Defoe is clamoring for virtuousness (An Essay upon Projects 8).Shoar and Shore. Aside from the defective spell out mentioned earlier is the variation in the spelling (Ward et al. ch 15 sec 3 par. 1). An example if this is the word shore, 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(prenominal) reflected on, were results of his ignorance in the Providence of God and discontented thus the use of the spelling shoar. succession his solitary life in the island draw the learning process he underwent to depart and finally live harmoniously with his surroundings hence the renewed use of the spelling shore. In this regard, one may present that the use of the word was intentional to show the need and difficulty in creating a standard for the English language. videlicet and (viz. ). The use of foreign language in novels is preferably common 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 videlicet which in the main means namely or that is to say (1033). Although Defoe used viz. without deviation and viz. in parenthesis based on the same definition, its participation in the account are quite different. The viz. without parenthe sis was used in identifying and qualifying statements such as the All the rest of that twenty-four hour period I spent in afflicting my self at the dismal 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 take to heart notorious Thieves in England, (viz. ) Hangd them in Chains for a alarm to others (Robinson Crusoe 138), was used as such in order to explain earlier statement. The use of parenthesis to differentiate the use of the same word in the novel advertise reflects Defoes quest for refinement of the English language as mentioned previously. CONCLUSION Indeed, regardless of the plot of the story which categorized it to fiction, the coating and language of the time is unmistakable.Robinson Crusoe, in its original version, allows us the indulgence to peek and appraise no t only the early modern English language but the period as well. The flexibility of the language then reflected the society of that time as it has eternally been for any period or era. At the same time, the novel provided additional locale for the author to disseminate his ideas and further his psyche attempt towards the transition to the modern English language and insertions to the importance of learning crosswise 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 take hold and propagate (however subtle it may be). workings CitedDefoe, Daniel. An Essay Upon Projects. spic-and-span 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 Americ a, 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. hot 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.