摘要：

英国贵族体制作为英国历史上重要的文化遗产，传承更新，级别森严，逐渐形成了以贵族院公爵、侯爵、伯爵、子爵、男爵五级世俗贵族为主体，以骑士和绅士为附属的贵族体制。在一千多年的历史中, 贵族等级制和名号的变化主要有五次：包括哥塞特和塞恩两种贵族头衔的出现、盎格鲁-诺曼贵族体制的建立、五级贵族体制的形成、准男爵成为新一级乡绅和工党贵族的出现。该论文重点分析和阐释英格兰不同时期各等级称谓的不同含义及英国贵族词汇的渊源，从而帮助与作者相似的英语专业学习者更深入地解读英国贵族文化。

关键词：英国贵族;发展历史;名号;变化

Abstract:

As an old but indispensable legacy of English history, the English aristocracy has gradually formed its unique but strict five-class hierarchy through thousands of years of continuous development. It is made up of duke, earl, marquess, viscount and baron as its main body as well as knight and gentry as its auxiliary. The paper not only introduces the development and history of English nobility, but tries to find out the changes in aristocratic titles and ranks, that is, the appearance of “Gesith” and “Thegn”, the introduction of Anglo-Norman noble system, the establishment of the five-class hierarchy, “baronet” becoming a new member of English aristocracy and the introduction of Labor Peers. Since titles in different eras might bear different definitions, the paper, at certain degree, may be of great value in helping the author and other English learners better interpret English aristocratic culture and the origin of nobility-related words through presenting the differences.

Key words: English aristocracy; development and history ; title ; changes

Introduction
    The British aristocratic hierarchy represents an old heritage with a history of over one thousand years. However, from the end of the 20th century to the present, the once pedestalled class has suffered heavy blows. The first death bell rang on November 24, 1998, marking the beginning of its declining. On the morning of that day, the queen Elizabeth II announced that the government would deprive 759 hereditary members of their privileges in the House of Lords as a way to reform the hereditary aristocracy, the core of the House of Lords, and to achieve the goal of constitutional reform. On January 20, 1999, the second alarm bell rang. Britain's Labor party announced that they would cancel the seats of hereditary peers in the House of Lords. In this case, the queen would no longer make any new aristocrats so English nobility might probably see a shrink in number .