The sound of English began to change as soon as the first Anglo-Saxons arrived in Britain. We explore the specific sound changes which occurred and the impact which those changes had on modern English.
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Episode 33: Missionaries and Manuscripts
In this episode, we explore the events which led to the first document written in the English language – the laws of Aethelbert of Kent. We look at the rise of monasteries, the role of St. Patrick in the conversion of the Irish, the missionary work of Pope Gregory and St. Augustine, and the political and religious significance of King Aethelbert’s conversion to Christianity. We then explore the language of the laws of Aethelbert.
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Bonus Episode 4: Let Me ‘Buoy’ Your Spirits
How do you pronounce ‘buoy’? In this bonus episode, we explore the history of the word and the reasons why the word is pronounced differently in various parts of the English-speaking world.
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Episode 32: The Oldest English
We explore the early Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and their regional Old English dialects. The ‘Saxons’ soon become the ‘English.’ And ‘English’ provides the name of a new nation.
Map Prepared by Louis Henwood (Click Map for Larger Image)
Map Prepared by Louis Henwood (Click Map for Larger Image)
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Episode 31: Saxons, Franks and Other West Germans
During the period of the Anglo-Saxon migrations, the West Germanic tribes of northern Europe continued to fight for power against the Romans and against each other. This period saw the emergence of the High German dialects, the creation of the Frankish Empire, and the decline of the continental Saxons. We explore the linguistic consequences of these events. We then examine many of the Frankish words which passed into French, and then into English.
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Episode 30: The Celtic Legacy
We explore the linguistic legacy of the native Celtic Britons on Modern English. The historical legacy of the legendary Celtic king named Arthur is also examined.
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Episode 29: The Anglo-Saxon Invasion
The Anglo-Saxons arrived in the British shores as permanent settlers in the 5th century. They encountered native Britons who spoke Latin and Celtic languages. The two groups soon fought for control of the region we know today as England. We explore this period of ‘lost’ history by examining the few pieces of written and archaeological evidence which survive.
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Episode 28: Angles, Saxons, Jutes and Frisians
We explore the origins of the Angles, Saxons, Jutes and Frisians in the North Sea region of northern Europe. The early raids on the coasts of Britain and Gaul set the stage for the later mass migrations. The similarities between the languages of these respective groups are examined.
Map Prepared by Louis Henwood (Click Map for Larger Image)
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Episode 27: Broken Empire and Fractured Languages
Parchment books begin to replace papyrus scrolls as the Western Roman Empire crumbles. New Germanic Kingdoms emerge in the west, but Latin remains the dominant language in Western Europe. Latin itself begins to fracture without the Roman educational system to hold it together. Meanwhile, Gothic words begin to filter into early Spanish.
Map Prepared by Louis Henwood (Click Map for Larger Image)
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Episode 26: Imperial Crisis and the Goths
Rome is racked by ‘Imperial Crisis’ while strong Germanic tribes gather along the Rhine and Danube. The Alamanni, Franks, Vandals and Goths rise to power and provide us with many words in modern English. The Goths translate the Bible into their Germanic language. We then compare the Gothic language to Old English.
Map Prepared by Louis Henwood (Click Map for Larger Image)
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