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Chapter 3: Old English: Overview

  • Ferdinand von Mengden
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Volume 2 Old English
This chapter is in the book Volume 2 Old English

Abstract

This chapter offers a survey of the main linguistic changes that took place during the Old English period - from the Anglo-Saxon migration around 450 CE to the beginning of the Norman rule of England. Considering that the major features and developments on all linguistic levels will be presented in later chapters in more detail, the present chapter sketches the most salient and important linguistic features of Old English and otherwise focuses on political and cultural events of the period, which had an impact on the development of the English language. Predominantly, these are events that lead to the emergence of new contact situations - such as the Christianization (Latin), the Viking raids (Old Norse) and the emerging Norman influence on the English court in the 11th century (French) - and the most important waves of literary productivity - e.g. King Alfred’s educational program and the increasing book production following the Benedictine Reform.

Abstract

This chapter offers a survey of the main linguistic changes that took place during the Old English period - from the Anglo-Saxon migration around 450 CE to the beginning of the Norman rule of England. Considering that the major features and developments on all linguistic levels will be presented in later chapters in more detail, the present chapter sketches the most salient and important linguistic features of Old English and otherwise focuses on political and cultural events of the period, which had an impact on the development of the English language. Predominantly, these are events that lead to the emergence of new contact situations - such as the Christianization (Latin), the Viking raids (Old Norse) and the emerging Norman influence on the English court in the 11th century (French) - and the most important waves of literary productivity - e.g. King Alfred’s educational program and the increasing book production following the Benedictine Reform.

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Table of Contents V
  3. Abbreviations VII
  4. Chapter 1: Introduction 1
  5. Chapter 2: Pre-Old English 8
  6. Chapter 3: Old English: Overview 32
  7. Chapter 4: Phonology 50
  8. Chapter 5: Morphology 73
  9. Chapter 6: Syntax 100
  10. Chapter 7: Semantics and Lexicon 125
  11. Chapter 8: Pragmatics and Discourse 140
  12. Chapter 9: Dialects 160
  13. Chapter 10: Language Contact: Latin 187
  14. Chapter 11: English Contact: Norse 202
  15. Chapter 12: Standardization 220
  16. Chapter 13: Literary Language 236
  17. Chapter 14: Early Textual Resources 254
  18. Index 271
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110525304-003

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter I
  2. Table of Contents V
  3. Abbreviations VII
  4. Chapter 1: Introduction 1
  5. Chapter 2: Pre-Old English 8
  6. Chapter 3: Old English: Overview 32
  7. Chapter 4: Phonology 50
  8. Chapter 5: Morphology 73
  9. Chapter 6: Syntax 100
  10. Chapter 7: Semantics and Lexicon 125
  11. Chapter 8: Pragmatics and Discourse 140
  12. Chapter 9: Dialects 160
  13. Chapter 10: Language Contact: Latin 187
  14. Chapter 11: English Contact: Norse 202
  15. Chapter 12: Standardization 220
  16. Chapter 13: Literary Language 236
  17. Chapter 14: Early Textual Resources 254
  18. Index 271
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