History of English Grammar: Origin, Development, and Books

According to the historians, the English grammar was first introduced in the 16th century. There have been several developments that were made in English Grammar since its inception. The word grammar is a Greek word which means the craft of letters. The history of both English and Britain is involved in the development of English grammar. Grammar is an important part of English learning as it has all the basic and advanced rules of it. In the modern era, we have started to learn English grammar in classrooms and lectures. Here, we will discuss the history of English grammar and its development over the years.

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History of English Grammar

The History of English Grammar starts in the late 16th century from a book ‘Pamphlet for Grammar’ by William Bullokar in 1586. In the book, William wrote about the development of English grammar that happened in Latin America in the book. In 16th century England Bullokar also adopted the old “Reformed Spelling System” in some of his writings.  The book included traditional grammar which was adopted from the “Latin Grammar” approach the book named “Rudimenta Grammatices” by William Lily was published in 1534. Rules and structure of the grammar were taken from Latin during the time. Some of the evidence of English grammar is mentioned below:

• In 1542, King Henry VIII authorized Lily’s grammar usage in the teaching of the English language.
• The first English grammar that was written in Latin was “Grammatica Linguae Angelicance” by Christopher Cooper in 1685.

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History of English Grammar Books- A Timeline

The 16th century saw the birth of English grammar books, with early works mimicking Latin grammar structures. Over time, these guides shed Latin influence and incorporated elements like sound systems. The 19th century marked a turning point, with grammar books embracing a more modern approach.

Important English Grammar Books- 16th to 18th Century

Here is a list of English grammar books published between 16th to 18th century

S.No.	Books	Authors	Years
1	Bref Grammar for English	William Boulkar	1586
2	Grammatica Anglicana	Paul Greaves	1594
3	Orthographie and Congruitie of Britan Tongue	Alexander Hume	1617
4	Longonomia Anglica	Alexander Gill	1619/1621
5	English Grammar	Charles Butler	1634
6	The English Grammar	Ben Jonson	1640
7	The English Accidence	Joshua Poole	1646
8	Grammatica Linguæ Accidence	John Wallis	1653
9	The English Grammar	Jeremiah Wharton	1654
10	A New English Grammar	James Howell	1662
11	School Pastime for Young Children: or the Rudiments of Grammar	John Newton	1669
12	Accedence Commenc’t Grammar	John Milton	1669
13	The Child’s Delight	Thomas Lye	1671
14	Grammatica Linguæ Anglicanæ	Christopher Cooper	1685
15	A Key to the Art of Letters	A Lane	1700
16	A Short Introduction to English Grammar	Robert Lowth	1762
17	An Essay on English Grammar	William Ward	1765
18	A Dictionary of the English Language	Samuel Johnson	1766
19	The Rudiments of English Gramma	Joseph Priestly	1772
20	English Grammar: Adapted to the Different Classes of Learners	Lindley Murray	1795

Important English Grammar Books- 19th to 20th Century

Here is a list of important English Grammar books published between the 19th to 20th centuries:

S.No.	Books	Authors	Years
1	A Grammatical Institute of the English Language.	Noah Webster	1804
2	A Grammar of the English Language, In a Series of Letters	William Cobbett	1818
3	English Grammar	William Chauncey Fowler	1850
4	A New English Grammar, Logical and Historical	Henry Sweet	1892-98
5	A Grammar of Modern English	H Poutsma	1904-1929
6	A Handbook of Present-day English	Etsko Kruisinga	1909-1932
7	A Modern English Grammar on Historical Principles	Otto Jespersen	1909-1940
8	A Handbook of English Grammar	RW Zandvoort	1945
9	The Structure of English	Charles C Fries	1952
10	An Introduction to Functional Grammar	MAK Halliday	1984
11	Longman Grammar of Spoken and Written English	Edward Finegan, Geoffery Leech, Douglas Biber, Susan Conard, and Stig Johansson	1999

Development of English Grammar

English is a linguistic melting pot. Its roots lie in Germanic dialects brought to Britain by Angles, Saxons, and Jutes in the 5th century AD. Viking raids added Old Norse influences, while the Norman Conquest drenched English in French, forever changing its vocabulary. The Renaissance fueled a fascination with classical languages, bringing forth a wave of Latin and Greek loanwords. To top it all off, the Great Vowel Shift around 1500 transformed pronunciation. By the 17th century, this rich mix of influences had solidified into the foundation of the English language we speak today.

17th Century

During the 17th century, the developments in English grammar were primarily based on tradition. The usage of English grammar played a crucial role in the development of Western societies. Various techniques for improving the grammatical skills of the people in European countries were also introduced during that time. It was in the early 17th century when the use of grammar writing was started. The two books related to English grammar’s role in Latin countries released are:

1. “Essay Towards a Practical Grammar Usage” written by James Greenwood
2. A Grammar of the English Tongue” written by John Brightland.

18th Century

In the 18th century, several books and articles were published for the development of the English Language. It started with a book named “The People’s Grammar: English Grammar Difficulties for the Million by Edward Shelley in 1848. The book attracted lots of readers, especially the young ones as it was the right choice for people who are searching to develop new grammatical skills. Another addition to the list of books was “A Grammar of the English Language: In the Series of Letters” that also published in the year 1848. It was a kind of book that was written to develop grammatical skills in speaking and writing for various people including students, soldiers, young people, and sailors.

19th Century

The developments that happened in grammar during the 19th century were a great addition to English Language. Lindley Murray was a popular writer who mentioned the role of “Grammatical Authorities” in his writing for developing the usage of the English language in several Western and European countries. In his study, Murray talked about the Latin use in elucidating the English grammar that was differentiated from the Ancient Greek way of English Language. 

The developments in English Grammar have a strong connection with the history of the English language. The influence of British history and changes can be seen in the English Language. From that time, the language came as a British language and became a global language.

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Evolution of English Language- Medieval Times to Present Day

The English language we know today is a mix of influences. Here’s a simplified look at its evolution to date:

Old English Period

A close relationship exists between the history of English grammar and the English language. Let’s take a look at the origin of the English language. The Old English period(or Anglo-Saxon period) existed between 449 to 1066 AD when the English language first emerged. The language that was spoken in England was influenced by Celtic but it has more Latin influence. 

Middle English

The fundamental change in the English language occurred during the Middle English era that existed between 1066 to 1500 AD. It started the new linguistic and social period in Britain and French influence also occurred in English during the time. It was between the 13th and 14th centuries when English emerged as a strong language as romances, documents, prayers, and other types of literary works came into existence.

Early Modern English 

The early Modern English period existed between 1500 to 1800 AD which was mostly affected by the printing revolution. Latin and Greek prefixes and affixes were used by writers to create new words in the English Language during the period. The scholars started dealing with different language areas such as style, writing system, grammar, and vocabulary which was a great addition in the history of English Grammar. In 1623, Henry Cockrum also published the first English dictionary. Additionally, the influence of William Shakespeare can be seen in the English language.

Evolution of the English Alphabet pic.twitter.com/DjUuSHwqNs

— Interesting STEM (@InterestingSTEM) May 17, 2024

Also Check out History of English Literature 

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