Old English

Course goals

Eala leorningcnihtas! (Hello students!) On this course you will learn the fundamentals of Old English, the earliest recorded form of the English language, and get a taste for translating primary sources written in Old English. You will study the language in its historical, material and cultural contexts and acquire knowledge of how early Medieval English (Anglo-Saxon) society, co-existed and interacted with the languages and literatures of Celtic and Scandinavian cultures in the early medieval British Isles.
 
Students will:

1. acquire a thorough understanding of the Old English language (phonology, syntax, morphology) and skills in translating Old English
2. gain a historical perspective on Modern English grammar and a better understanding of its idiosyncrasies by studying Old English
3. gain knowledge of early medieval cultures, languages and literatures in the early medieval British Isles 
4. be able to undertake research (e.g. a B.A. thesis) on an Anglo-Saxon topic from either a cultural, philological or linguistic perspective.

Content

This interdisciplinary course provides a thorough introduction to the phonology, syntax and morphology of Old English and helps students develop skills in translating Old English. By placing the study of Old English in its cultural historical context through the translation and discussion of a number of literary and non-literary texts, the course touches on topics such as medieval history writing, learning in Anglo-Saxon England, daily life, the position of women, manuscript culture, and early legal tradition.
The course also explores how Anglo-Saxon culture coexisted with the cultures of other peoples that dominated the British Isles during the early medieval period (c.400-c.1100) - the Insular Celts and the Scandinavians - and how these cultures and languages interacted and influenced each other. 

Additional information

This course is equivalent to the following course:
Old English and Medieval Languages (EN3V18001)

If you have already completed this course, you may not take Old English due to too much overlap in content.

This course is only offered in EVEN years.

LAS and TCS students who follow this course as part of the core curriculum of their major need to complete a compulsory preparation course/assignment. See students.uu.nl/gw/tcs for more information.