History of the English Language

Explore the historical development of the English language from its origins in early Germanic dialects to its transformation in the Early Modern period. Students will examine the linguistic, cultural, and political forces that shaped English across three major stages: Old English, Middle English, and Early Modern English. We’ll study the Old English of Anglo-Saxon England through selections from texts such as Beowulf, analyzing its grammar, vocabulary, and inflectional system. We’ll then focus on the profound impact of the Norman Conquest on the growth of dialect diversity and the works of writers such as Geoffrey Chaucer. Finally, the course examines Early Modern English including the effects of the printing press, the standardization of spelling and grammar, and the language of writers such as William Shakespeare and the King James Bible.