The%20Anglo-Saxon%20Period

1
The Anglo-Saxon Period

• The Birth of a Language Old English

2
The Indo-European Family of Languages

• Originated from central
• Europe to the steppes
• of southern Russia
• Indian, Iranian, Armenian, Hellenic, Albanian,
  Italic, Balto-Slavic, Germanic, Celtic, Hittite,
  Tocharian
• We will focus on the Celtic, Italic, and Germanic
  languages

3
Britains First Language

• Archeological records indicate that humans may
  have inhabited England (hereby referred to as
  the island) anywhere between 50,000 and 250,000
  years ago.
• The language that we are studying has had a
  history of only 1,500 years.
• While historians have discovered that no
  civilization has gone without a language, any
  trace of these have been lost to time.

4
Celtic

• The 1st language on the island was that of the
  Celtic peoples.
• Celtic is divided into two dialects Gaelic and
  Goidelic.
• It is not known for sure how this culture made it
  to the island
• Both dialects have contributed very little (about
  50 words mostly place-names and loanwords)
• The Celtic language contains a branch witch is
  called the Brythonic branch. The people called
  themselves Brythons this is where we get the
  terms Britain and British.
• Today both dialects are quickly dying out

5
The Romans on the Island

• The Romans first attempted conquest of the island
  in 55 B.C. initiated by Julius Caesar.
• The Roman invasion was miscalculated and
  subsequently was not completed until 43 A.D, by
  the Emperor Claudius..
• With the Romans came their language (Latin),
  culture, and architecture.
• The Romans occupied the island until about 410
  A.D. in an area extending from the southern
  shores of the island to the northern boundary at
  Hadrians Wall.
• The Roman military presence protected the Celtic
  people from outside invasion.
• When the Romans had left, only about 5-10 words
  had entered the native language. The most
  significant remnant of the settlement was the
  architecture and the road system.

6
The Germanic Invasions

• Several tribal groups speaking dialects of the
  Proto-Germanic tongue lived on the western
  borders of mainland Europe.
• The tribes that invaded were the Angles, the
  Frisians, the Saxons, and the Jutes.
• These tribes began their invasion in 449. Due to
  the lack of military presence, coupled with the
  Celtic people not having had to defend themselves
  from invasion in over 400 years, the Germanic
  invasion was swift and effective.
• While the invaders were generally referred to as
  Saxons, Saxones, and Saxonia by the Celts, the
  language of the Angles was consistently referred
  to as Englisc, from where we get English.
• Through intensive invasion, trade, and commerce,
  the impact of this language was widespread and
  profound.

7
The Germanic Invasions
8
Effects of the Germanic Invasion

• Celtic people driven to the west, Wales, and to
  the north, Scotland.
• Germanic tongue gains dominance.
• Matriarchal society replaced by patriarchal.

9
The 2nd Latin Influence

• The Christianization of the island began in 597
  by St. Augustine, commissioned by the later Pope
  Gregory the Great.
• Latin was the language of the church (Papal
  Language)
• Added around 450 words
• Hierarchy of language
• Latin spoken in the church, the court, and
  official duties
• O.E. spoken by the serfs (lower classes/the
  common man)
• Monasteries served as hubs of education and
  learnedness time period source of print

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Anglo-Saxon Heptarchyc. 650
Heptarchy (from Greek) Hepta- seven -Archy
rule or government
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The Language of Beowulf
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First Viking Invasions

• Viking (also labeled Norse, later Danish)
  invasions begin in 787.
• Plunder and sack only. No settlement.
• Mainly along NE coast
• Attacked monasteries more wealth with less
  defense
• 787-850

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Second Wave of Viking Invasions

• Second wave begins c. 850
• Massive waves to conquer and settle
• Reason Greener lands and more favorable climate
• Hit NW and NE coasts
• 750-878

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Some of the Viking Routes
15
King Alfred the Great and Danelaw

• Viking raids and settlement force remaining
  Anglo-Saxons into Somerset region (SW area/West
  Wales)
• King Alfred (of the West Saxons) gathers a large
  army, successfully attacks, and stops the Viking
  advance.
• Alfred signs Treaty of Wedmore with Guthrum,
  leader of the Vikings (later king) to establish
  Danelaw

16
King Alfred the Great

• Nearly single-handedly saved the English tongue
• Seeing that English was the language of the
  common people, decided to have certain Latin
  texts translated in O.E.
• Champion of education and craftsmanship
• Considered Englands greatest monarch
• Compiled the Anglo-Saxon Chronicles beginning in
  891
• Had Biblical texts translated to O.E. to break
  down language barriers
• Latin official language of church however,
  translated texts allowed the everyman to read and
  comprehend the Bible

17
Danelaw

• Treaty of Wedmore signed by Alfred and Guthrum
  establishing Danelaw after the Viking defeat at
  the Battle of Ethandune, Wessex (878)
• Divided the Island on a line from London to
  Chester giving control to the Danes in the NE
  half (Northumbria East Anglia) and the SW to
  the Anglo-Saxons (Wessex, Sussex, Kent, East
  Mercia)

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Third Wave of Viking Invasion

• Viking raids soon resume, ignoring Danelaw
• All of England under Danish rule by 1017
• Scandinavian influence adds around 900 words
• Different from Latin influence
• Language of the people, rather than of a papal,
  governmental, or scholarly nature (everyday life)
• Similar vocabularies allowed for a greater
  diversity of the language

20
1066 The Norman Conquest

• End the Old English/Anglo-Saxon Period