The History of English Podcast
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203 afleveringen, van nieuw naar oud
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Episode 143: The Great Vowel Shift (Part 3)
24 november 2020 · 57 min
In this final episode about the sound changes associated with the Great Vowel Shift, we explore the vowel shifts that took place in the back of the mouth. We also explore how these changes impacted the way words are spelled in Modern English. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 143
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Episode 142: The Great Vowel Shift (Part 2)
22 oktober 2020 · 49 min
In this second part of our look at the Great Vowel Shift, we explore the movement of the vowel sounds located in the bottom front part of the mouth. We also examine how these sounds were traditionally spelled and how the merger of those sounds produced many homonyms within Modern English. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 142
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Episode 141: The Great Vowel Shift (Part 1)
24 september 2020 · 56 min
The term ‘Great Vowel Shift’ was coined in the early 1900s by the Danish linguist Otto Jespersen to describe a systematic change in the long vowel sounds of English. The changes help to mark the transition from Middle English to Modern English. In this episode, we explore the specific changes that took place in the upper front part of the mouth. We also examine the impact of those changes on Modern English spellings. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 141
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Episode 140: You Say ‘To-may-to’
28 augustus 2020 · 1 uur 6 min
Vowel sounds are a key feature of every language, but the actual vowel sounds vary from one language to another. The English language contains about twenty vowel sounds, some of which are pure vowels and some of which are a combination of vowel sounds called diphthongs. In this episode, we explore the pure vowel sounds used in Modern English, and we examine how slight changes in the vowel sounds contribute to accent differences within Modern English. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 140
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Episode 139: The Business of Printing
21 juli 2020 · 1 uur 11 min
William Caxton introduced the mass production of books to England in the 1470s. He was also the first person to print books in the English language via the printing press. Caxton’s publications reveal the priorities and concerns of a businessman, not those of a linguist or scholar. In this episode, we explore Caxton’s contribution to the history of English, and we examine the impact of the printing press on the development of the English language. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 139
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Episode 138: Family Matters
25 juni 2020 · 1 uur 7 min
In the 1400s, rising literacy rates and access to cheap paper combined to produce the first collections of personal letters in the English language. One of the earliest letter collections was maintained by the Paston family of Norfolk. Their letters reflect the struggles of an upstart family against the traditional landed nobility, and they provide an important perspective on the family dispute that became known as The Wars of the Roses. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 138
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Episode 137: A Rose By Any Other Name
23 mei 2020 · 1 uur 6 min
The rose is one of the most beloved flowers in western Europe, and it has a long association with English royalty. In this episode, we explore the history of English gardens and the use of the rose as a symbol of various branches of the royal family. We also examine the oldest guide to gardening composed in the English language and the origins of the conflict that became known as the ‘Wars of the Roses.’ Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 137
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Episode 136: The Real Robin Hood
24 april 2020 · 1 uur 4 min
The legend of Robin Hood has its origins in the murky history of England after the Norman Conquest, but the first written examples of Robin Hood ballads don’t appear until the mid-1400s. In this episode, we examine the earliest references to the legend, and we explore the oldest surviving ballads that tell the story of the legendary outlaw. We also look at evidence of the Great Vowel Shift in these early ballads. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 136
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Bonus Episode: Stay at Home Edition
6 april 2020 · 28 min
In this bonus ‘stay at home’ episode, we explore several words and phrases that appeared for the first time in the first half of the 15th century, including “turnpike,” “to curry favor,” “budget,” “average,” “peculiar,” “hogwash,” and others.
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Episode 135: A House of Cards
24 maart 2020 · 1 uur 17 min
In the early 1400s, playing cards made their first appearance in England. Those cards provide evidence of an early form of printing, but it would take another generation for Johannes Gutenberg to invent the printing press. In this episode we explore the history of playing cards and the printing press, and we also look at the end of the Hundred Years’ War. We also examine how these events contributed to the history of English and the transition from the Middle Ages to the modern era. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 135
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Episode 134: A Lancastrian Standard
20 februari 2020 · 1 uur 9 min
In the early 1400s, England welcomed a new king, a new ruling family, and a new role for the English language in the administration of government. In this episode, we explore the rise of the House of Lancaster and the emergence of a standard form of written English for the first time since the Norman Conquest. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 134
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Episode 133: Breaking Bread With Companions
21 januari 2020 · 1 uur 10 min
In this episode, we explore words associated with mealtime in the Middle Ages. We also examine the important role of bread in medieval meals and impact of bread-related terms on the English language. Finally, we look at the important role of table manners as outlined in an early English etiquette guide called the Boke of Curtasye. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 133
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Episode 132: Food for Thought
19 december 2019 · 1 uur 10 min
In the midst of the English literary revival of the late 1300s, the household chefs of Richard II compiled the first cookbook in the English language. In the episode, we examine the cookbook known as ‘The Forme of Cury,’ and we explore the nature of food and cooking in medieval England. We also look at how the culinary arts shaped the English language. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 132
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Episode 131: Sir Gawain and the Green Knight
25 november 2019 · 1 uur 16 min
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight is one of the most popular English poems of the Middle Ages. In this episode, we explore the language and story of the poem. We also examine how the poem reflects certain changes that were taking place within the English language in the late 1300s. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 131
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Episode 130: Dialect Dialogues
22 oktober 2019 · 56 min
Geoffrey Chaucer was one of the first English writers to compose dialogue in regional dialects to reflect the way characters spoke in the different parts of England. In this episode, we explore the dialogue of Chaucer’s northern students in the Reeve’s Tale, and we also examine the Second Shepherd’s Play from the north of England which reflects a similar approach to regional dialects. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 130
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Episode 129: Chaucer’s Vulgar Tongue [EXPLICIT LANGUAGE]
25 september 2019 · 1 uur 15 min
Geoffrey Chaucer was one of the few poets of the Middle Ages to explore the vulgar side of English and the connection between the common people and their language. The Miller’s Tale exemplifies this style. In this episode, we explore the history of swearing and obscenities, and we examine Chaucer’s use of bawdy language in the Miller’s Tale. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 129
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Bonus Episode: The Life of Guy – An Interview with Allan Metcalf
10 september 2019 · 23 min
In this bonus episode, Kevin interviews Allan Metcalf about his new book, “The Life of Guy: Guy Fawkes, the Gunpowder Plot, and the Unlikely History of an Indispensable Word.”
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Episode 128: The Canterbury Tellers
23 augustus 2019 · 59 min
The Canterbury Tales is a collection of stories told by pilgrims during their trek to Canterbury Cathedral. The pilgrims represent a cross-section of English society in the late 1300s, and Geoffrey Chaucer paints a vivid picture of each one. He also modifies his language to fit the social class of each character. In this episode, we explore the descriptions of the various pilgrims in the General Prologue of the Canterbury Tales, and we examine how the language of the poem reflects the state of the English language in the late 1300s. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 128
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Episode 127: The Road to Canterbury
24 juli 2019 · 1 uur 3 min
In the mid-1380s, Geoffrey Chaucer gave up his London job and residence and moved to Kent along the pilgrimage route to Canterbury. This move inspired the creation of the Canterbury Tales which remains the most well-known work of Middle English literature. In this episode, we explore the background of the poem and the circumstances which led Chaucer to abandon London in favor of Kent. We also examine the opening lines of the General Prologue of the poem. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 127
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Episode 126: A New Turn of Phrase
26 juni 2019 · 1 uur 9 min
During the Middle English period, English grammar and syntax underwent significant changes. Old inflectional endings continued to erode, and new phrases were introduced in their place. The writings of Geoffrey Chaucer reflect these changes, so we examine Chaucer’s House of Fame and Troilus and Criseyde for evidence of the newly emerging grammar and syntax. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 126
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Episode 125: The First English Bible
28 mei 2019 · 1 uur 10 min
Many people are familiar with the King James Bible, but over two centuries earlier, an Oxford theologian named John Wycliffe produced the first Bible composed in the English language. Together with a group of close associates, he produced a Bible that was read throughout England. In this episode, we explore the events leading to this translation, and we also examine how the Wycliffe Bible impacted the English language. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 125
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Episode 124: Piers Plowman and the Peasant Revolt
24 april 2019 · 1 uur 10 min
The 14th century poem called Piers Plowman has intrigued and perplexed readers for over six centuries. In the 14th century, it was embraced by peasants who used it as inspiration in their struggle against the upper classes of England. That struggle culminated in a major peasant uprising in the early 1380s. In this episode, we explore the connections between Piers Plowman and the Peasant Revolt. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 124
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Episode 123: A Material Change
27 maart 2019 · 1 uur 6 min
In the 1300s, the scribes of England began a gradual shift from the use of animal hides like parchment to a new material made from plant fibers. That new writing material was paper. In this episode, we explore the history of paper, and we examine the fundamental connection between texts and textiles. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 123
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Episode 122: The Name of the Game
28 februari 2019 · 1 uur 4 min
In 1363, the king of England tried to ban all sports other than archery in order to ensure English supremacy with the longbow. The ban had little effect, however, as the people of England continued to play ball games and board games. In this episode, we explore how terms associated with games and sports shaped the English language, and we also examine the gaming references in Geoffrey Chaucer’s first original poem. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 122
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Episode 121: English Ascent
30 januari 2019 · 1 uur 1 min
In the years immediately following the Black Death, a labor shortage in the countryside led to the rise of yeomen and other rural laborers. The rise of these English-speaking classes led to corresponding rise in the prestige of English. The ascendency of English culminated with the Statute of Pleading which made English the official language of the government for the first time since the Norman Conquest. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 121
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Episode 120: The End of the World
31 december 2018 · 59 min
In the mid-1300s, most of Europe was devastated by a massive plague known today as the Black Death. The disease killed about one-third of the population of England, and an even higher percentage of clerics and teachers who were trained in Latin and French. These disruptions permitted a younger generation who only spoke English to fill those positions. As a result, English replaced French in the grammar schools of England, and the stage was set for a revival of English learning and literature over the following decades. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 120
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Episode 119: The Road to War
13 december 2018 · 1 uur 14 min
The Hundred Years War is one of the most well-known conflicts of the Middle Ages. The long, extended war introduced new weapons and new types of warfare, and it marked a transition from the traditional feudal state to the modern nation-state. The war also contributed to a rise in nationalism which led many Englishmen to regard the French language as the language of the enemy. The war was one of many factors in the 14th century that led to the decline of French and the revival of English throughout England. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 119
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Bonus Episode: Regarding English (Sound Education Conference Talk)
29 november 2018 · 29 min
In November of 2018, I gave a talk at the Harvard Divinity School as part of the Sound Education Conference. The talk was an overview of the history of English called “Regarding English.” The final version of the speech was edited for time, so I have recorded the original version of the speech with the parts that were left out. Enjoy! Lees meer
Transcript
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Episode 118: Trade Names
19 november 2018 · 1 uur 8 min
Like much of western Europe, England experienced a significant growth in population during the two centuries after the Norman Conquest. By the 1300s, the percentage of the English population who lived in urban areas had doubled. As towns and cities grew, jobs became more specialized. The rise of specialized occupations led many workers to adopt their occupation as a surname. In this episode, we’ll explore the job market of the 14th century, and we’ll examine the origin of many common occupational surnames. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 118
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Episode 117: What’s In a Name?
16 oktober 2018 · 1 uur 4 min
The origin of modern naming conventions can be traced to the period immediately following the Norman Conquest. Prior to the Conquest, almost all people in England had a single Anglo-Saxon name. After 1066, parents gave their children names borrowed from French and from the Bible. People also started to acquire second names based on their landholdings, place of origin, parent’s name, or some personal characteristic. These were the beginning of many modern surnames. In this episode, we explore the history of English names, and we examine how naming conventions reflect the evolving culture of England in the Middle Ages. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 117
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Episode 116: The Celtic Fringe
17 september 2018 · 1 uur 1 min
In this episode, we explore the state of the English language outside of England in the early 1300s. This story takes us to the regions where Celtic languages were traditionally spoken. In some of those regions, English had little or no influence. But in parts of Scotland, English had been a native language since the Anglo-Saxon period. During this period, the Scots were engaged in a battle for independence from England, and that struggle was captured in the first piece of literature in the emerging Scots dialect of English. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 116
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Episode 115: The Measure of a Person
21 augustus 2018 · 1 uur 4 min
For much of human history, common measurements of length were based on body parts and were variable from region to region. Most other measurements were also inconsistent. During the 1300s, these measurements started to be fixed and standardized for the first time. In this episode, we look at those developments, and we explore the history of our words related to measurements. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 115
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Episode 114: The Craft of Numbering
26 juli 2018 · 1 uur 7 min
The words for numbers are some of the oldest and most conservative words in most languages. The English words for numbers can be traced back to the original Indo-European language, but during the early Middle English period, English speakers began to borrow related number words from Greek, Latin and French. At the same time, the modern Hindu-Arabic numerals were making their first appearance in English documents and inscriptions. In this episode, we explore the history of numbers and the words we use to express numerical concepts. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 114
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Episode 113: A Zouthern Accent
27 juni 2018 · 1 uur 3 min
In this episode, we turn our attention to the south of England and examine some of the unique features of the Middle English dialects spoken there after the Norman Conquest. We also take a look at a poem composed in the Southern dialect called “The Fox and the Wolf.” Finally, we explore how developments in this region informed some of the modern differences between northern and southern speech in Britain. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 113
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Episode 112: Northern Messenger
8 juni 2018 · 1 uur
Map Prepared by Louis Henwood (Click Map for Larger Image) Lees meer
At the dawn of the 14th century, Edward I was forced to deal with a popular uprising in Scotland. At the same time, a poet in northern England composed the oldest surviving poem in the Northern dialect of Middle English called the Cursor Mundi. In this episode, we turn our attention to northern England and Scotland, and we examine the unique features of this northernmost dialect of Middle English.
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 112
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Episode 111: Laying Down the Law
10 mei 2018 · 1 uur 2 min
One of Edward I’s most notable accomplishments as King of England was the conquest of Wales, and his desire to extend that authority to the north of Britain led some to call him “The Hammer of the Scots.” But beyond Edward’s attempts to rule all of Britain, he is probably most well-known for his legal reforms including a series of statutes passed early in his reign. As king, Edward was the supreme judge of England. There was no appeal from his decisions. In that regard, Edward thought his legal authority extended to Scotland as well. He even used that authority to decide a dispute over the kingship of Scotland. Edward’s aggressive policies ultimately led to war with his northern neighbor, and in many respects, that war was rooted in this dispute over legal jurisdiction. This time, we’ll explore those events, and we’ll see how Edward’s legal reforms impacted the English language. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 111
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Episode 110: Dyed In the Wool
7 april 2018 · 1 uur 3 min
In this episode, we explore important role of the wool and cloth industries in Medieval England. Not only was England a major producer of sheep and wool, it also developed its own cloth industry in the 1300s. This was also a period in which clothing fashions were undergoing some major changes. We examine the ways in which clothing was changing, and we look at the cloth-making process. We also explore lots of words and phrases related to the traditional wool and cloth industries. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 110
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Episode 109: The Romantic Warriors
8 maart 2018 · 56 min
In the late 1200s, romantic literature started to be composed in English for the first time. The oldest surviving English romance is a poem called King Horn. In this episode, we explore the poem and examine the linguistic developments revealed by the language of the poem. Then we take a look at the oldest surviving secular love song in the English language. These developments took place during the early reign of Edward I, so we also examine the English king known as “Longshanks” and his beloved wife Eleanor. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 109
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Episode 108: On the Move
9 februari 2018 · 56 min
In this episode, we look at the movement of people and their money in the 13th century. This was a period when international trading networks carried goods and people to the far-flung corners of the known world. This was also the era of Genghis Khan’s Mongolian conquests and Marco Polo’s travels to China. We explore those events and consider the impact of those developments on the English language. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 108
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Episode 107: Parlez-Vous Anglais?
15 januari 2018 · 49 min
Even though English writing started to re-emerge in the early 1200s, government and legal documents remained the exclusive domain of Latin and French. English finally found a voice in the English government in the mid-1200s with a series of government reforms known as the Provisions of Oxford. The population of England was informed of the reforms through a proclamation issued in English. In this episode, we explore the events leading to those reforms and the important role of English in the political maneuvering that followed. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 107
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Episode 106: An Illuminating Development
31 december 2017 · 57 min
The 12th and 13th centuries saw the saw the transfer of book production from monasteries to professional bookmakers. In this episode, we look at the birth of the Medieval book trade. We also examine how early illuminators worked with color, and how early English dealt with the introduction of new colors terms into the language. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 106
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Episode 105: Suffix Summary
25 december 2017 · 48 min
In this episode, we explore some of the suffixes that were in common use in the early 1200s at the time the Ancrene Wisse was composed. These include traditional Old English suffixes, as well as several new suffixes that were borrowed from French and Latin. We also examine the longevity of such suffixes in Modern English. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 105
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Episode 104: Prefix Preferences
19 december 2017 · 58 min
During the early Middle English period, many loanwords from Latin and French were borrowed into English. Very often, those loanwords came in with prefixes and suffixes that were new to the English language. Many of those new affixes appear for the first time in the Ancrene Wisse. In this episode, we explore the decline of Old English prefixes and the rise of continental prefixes in the early Middle English period. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 104
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Episode 103: Solitary Confinement
2 december 2017 · 57 min
The early 13th century saw the rise of a monastic movement in which men and women locked themselves away in secluded cells to practice their religion. These monks were known as anchorites, and an early Middle English text called the “Ancrene Wisse” was composed as a guide for female anchoresses who adopted this lifestyle. The text is considered one of the most important works composed in early Middle English period. It features a large number of common loanwords that were used in English for the first time. In this episode, we examine the historical context of the Ancrene Wisse and some of the common loanwords that were introduced in the manuscript. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 103
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Episode 102: A Medieval Glossary
6 november 2017 · 59 min
In this episode, we explore the notes and translations left behind by scribes in the margins of Medieval manuscripts. Those marginal notes reveal numerous insights about the state of English in the early 1200s. Those early glosses and translations also led to bilingual word lists which were the precursor of modern-day dictionaries. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 102
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Episode 101: The Birth of English Song
12 oktober 2017 · 1 uur 3 min
Advances in musical notation allowed the first English folk songs to be preserved in writing in the early 1200s. These songs include “Mirie It Is While Sumer Ilast” and “Sumer Is Icumen In.” In this episode, we explore the Greek contribution to music, and trace those developments to Medieval England and the earliest songs composed in the English language. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPTS: EPISODE 101
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Episode 100: Decoding English
25 september 2017 · 52 min
In this special 100th episode, we review the major consonant sound changes that have impacted English since the Proto-Indo-European language. These sound changes provide us with a set of general rules that we can use to distinguish loanwords from native Old English words. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 100
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Episode 99: The Second French Invasion
9 september 2017 · 1 uur 10 min
The early 13th century saw the arrival of a new wave of Frenchmen on the English shores. Some came as conquerors, and some came as nobles and courtiers looking for land and titles. During this period, Norman French started to lose much of its prestige in England, and it was gradually replaced with the French of Paris and central France. In this episode, we look at this second French invasion and the impact it had on the English language. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 99
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Episode 98: The Great Debates
17 augustus 2017 · 1 uur
Magna Carta is often presented as the culmination of a dispute between King John and his barons, but it didn’t settle the debate. In fact, the charter actually sparked a new debate over the power of the king. That debate was one of many being held during the early 1200s when the art of debate permeated education, the legal profession, and even poetry. This period also witnessed the composition of the first major debate poem in Middle English called “The Owl and the Nightingale.” Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 98
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Episode 97: Let’s Put It In Writing
27 juli 2017 · 1 uur 2 min
The early 13th Century saw a massive increase in the production of government documents, including charters and official letters. In this episode, we explore the changing role of the written word in the Middle Ages. We also examine how King John’s financial exploitation of his barons led to revolt and Magna Carta. Lees meer
TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 97