Literature The Beginnings 1

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 4

V5 The Middle Ages

What languages have contributed to the development of the English language?

Literature 

The Beginnings of the English language 

& 

The Middle Ages

Who/where/when?

The Celts

 Iron Age people
'Celts' Modern name (18th C) 
Greek = Keltoi  
Latin = Celtae
'Civilized states' of the Classical Mediterranean called them 'Barbarians': 

What does this term mean?

Video: 00:00-3:10

Barbarians Term

The word “barbarian” originated in ancient Greece, and was initially used to describe all non-Greek-speaking peoples, including Persians, Egyptians, Medes and Phoenicians. The ancient Greek word “bárbaros,” from which it derives, meant “babbler,” and was onomatopoeic: In the Greek ear, speakers of a foreign tongue made unintelligible sounds (“bar bar bar”).

Facts 

• Agricultural Society; farmers & hunters
• Advanced! They used tools
• Warrior Culture
• No written Celtic language --> oral tradition

Celts: Beef with the Romans

A.K.A the Romans tried to conquer the western world and they almost succeeded 

Britain as part of the Roman Empire (43 AD - 410 AD)

Who is this?

The Reason for the conflict

In 55BC Julius Caesar wanted to invade Britain = FAIL

The Romans wanted revenge on the CEltic tribes in Britainfor helping the CEltic Gauls

Believe it or not, Asterix & Obelix describe part of the reason for the conflict pretty well!

This is Hadrian's Wall. What could have been the function?

Why invade?

• Riches, gold, slaves =not the main reason
• Failed to conquer Scotland (Caledonia) 
• They built something to protect themselves from the Celtic tribes in the north (The picts)
  
  
• Romans: infrastructure, roads & language  (Latin)
• Relationship okay = loyal & pay taxes to Rome 

Early Middle Ages +/- 500 - 1100

The Anglo Saxons (410 -1066 AD)

410 AD; fall of Roman Empire

Roman soldiers left Britain to defend Rome

 --> defense gone -->

INVASION

Who invaded the country (Britain)?

1. The Angles
2. The Saxons
3. The Jutes
4. All three

Which language you 'know' is related to Old English?

The Anglo-Saxons

• Anglo-Saxons didn't care for Roman Legacy
• Replaced Roman Infrastructure 
• Englisc --> Old English
• WAR: between small Kingdoms
• Pagan
  
  
• Netflix: The Last Kingdom/ The Dig

Let's skip the vikings

Vikings (no not the Netflix series), Alfred the Great and Beowulf

1066 

The Battle of Hastings

Battle between whom?

Consequences of the Battle of Hastings 

for the English language

• French became the official language 

Language of the church: Latin 

Language of the state: French 

• Until the 14th century English was only spoken and not written: 

- a lot of conjugations were lost, a complex language changed into a relatively simple language 

- many French words gradually entered the language. Now about 40% are loanwords from the French language 

• Stories, romances, ballads from French origin were taken over in literature  

Now find out what Chaucer's role was in the development of the English language.