Introduction to Old and Middle English: Part I Anglo-Saxon Studies November 18, 2005 Andreas H. Jucker

Recap  Periodisation of the history of the English language and its justification  Diachrony and synchrony  Spoken and written language

Before the Germanic conquest  55, 54 B.C. Julius Caesar lands in Britain  43 A.D. Systematic Roman conquest of Britain begins  122 Hadrian’s wall  376 Attacks against Roman Britain from Scots (from Ireland), Picts (from the north), and Saxons (from the east).  410 Last Roman troops leave Britain  449 Germanic tribes invade the Island and begin its conquest

Linguistic situation in Roman Britain  Local Celtic language – Farmers, merchants  Latin – Romans  Latin traces: Place names – Portchester (L. portus and castra), Gloucester, Winchester, Colchester, Lancaster, Doncaster  Celtic traces: Place names – Kent, Devon, London, Dunwich, Duncombe, Holcombe, etc.

The Germanic invasion  Germanic invasion and settlement a slow process  Invitation of Germanic troops to defend Britain from the northern barbarians  Reinforcements from overseas  Rebellion against the British  Conquest of the rest of Britain a slow process

Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy Northumbria Mercia East Anglia Essex Kent Sussex Wessex

Anglo-Saxon Dialects Northumbria Mercia East Anglia Essex Kent Sussex Wessex Northumbrian Mercian Kentish Westsaxon Cf.Baugh & Cable 1978: 53

Christianization  Christianization of the Celtic inhabitants during Roman rule  Christianization of Anglo-Saxons from Rome and from the Irish-Scottish monastery of Iona  597 St Augustine sent by Pope Gregory  C 700 all of Anglo-Saxon England was Christian  C 800 Danish attacks on monasteries  Late 10th century: Benedictine Reform

Consequences of Christianization  Writing and parchment  Schools and scholarship  Scholarly monasteries in Canterbury, Jarrow, York, Wearmouth, Malmesbury  Latin-English bilingualism  Latin influence on English syntax and vocabulary

Scandinavian invasion of Britain  first wave of attacks by bands of raiders  second wave of attacks by large and well organised forces  Danes settle in territory under Danish law: Danelaw  886 King Alfred of Wessex occupies London  10th c. Wessex absorbs the original Danelaw  third period of Danish invasion

Danelaw

Textual evidence from OE  Legal and administrative – Charters, wills, writs, codes of law  Religious – Bible translations, sermons, devotional work, treatises, homilies, rules, saints’ lives (original and translations)  Science – Astronomy, medicine  Verse

Periods of the Helsinki Corpus  OE I (-850) – Caedmon’s Hymn, Bede’s Death Song  OE II ( ) – Alfred’s Boethius, Alfred’s Cura Pastoralis  OE III ( ) – Beowulf, The Wanderer, The Seafarer, The Dream of the Rood  OE IV ( )

 T he Anglo-Saxon Minster Church at Braemore, Hampshire Anglo Saxon architecture

Sutton Hoo Treasures

Franks Casket

OE riddle  The fish beat up the seas on to the mountainous cliff; the King of terror became sad when he swam onto the shingle.  Whale's bone

The Lindisfarne Gospel gloss 25V19R