Why Is English So Weird?
The English language is notoriously difficult to learn and to spell. In this episode of The Medieval Podcast, Danièle talks about the medieval roots of English and how it got to be so weird.
How much Latin can you remember?
Ten questions to test your Latin language skills!
The ABC of Medieval English Writing
I need to teach you how to read your ABC so we’re going to go back to first principles.
The Measure of Literacy in Late Medieval England: The Case of St. Albans, 1237-1399
In the mid-thirteenth century, the tenants living on the manors of the liberty of St Albans had no use for letters.
Dragomans and Crusaders: The Role of Translators and Translation in the Medieval Eastern Mediterranean, 1098-1291
How did the invading Franks navigate the multifaceted language barrier when they conquered, settled, and ruled Syria in the era of the crusades?
Arabic-speakers in Norman Sicily
On the arrival of the Normans around 1060, Arabic was the dominant language but by 1250 prestigious Romance vernaculars could be heard almost everywhere.
Love and Eroticism in Medieval Norwegian Runic Inscriptions
Although other emotions are obvious in various inscriptions, clearly the one most often and most explicitly expressed is love, at times more specifically erotic interest.
Lost Words: 5 Medieval Words That We Need Right Now
A 60 second lecture by Emily Steiner and Aylin Malcolm, which actually has 11 words.
How Much Do You Know About J.R.R. Tolkien’s Invented Languages?
Epic adventures are only part of the appeal of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Middle Earth books. What really set Tolkien apart from other fantasy writers was his skill at crafting entire worlds—and at showing how important language is to history and identity. How much do you know about Tolkien’s linguistic world?
The Sudden Success of Prose – a Comparative View of Greek, Latin, Old French and Old Norse
Through comparison and quantitative observations, and by focusing on the success of prose rather than its invention, it is shown that in all four cases two or three decades were crucial for creating prose literature.
Looking for what was common and different in medieval languages
What makes closely related languages have a different word order? This is what researchers at the University of Oslo will find out.
Thegns in the Danelaw: a case for Scandinavian usage of the term in the 10-11th century England
This presentation addresses the possibility of the Old English influence upon the Old Norse in the usage of the word ‘thegn’.
Monks, philologists, and VR
Learning from medieval memory techniques in this TEDx talk
The Linguistic Influence of the Norman Conquest (11th Century) on the English Language
In this paper I present some historical facts that took place regarding the Norman Conquest in England, then, I discuss the different Linguistic influences on English which appears to lend support to the fact that the French Normans had a major effect on the English Language.
Baptism in Anglo-Saxon England
This thesis examines the lexical field of baptism in Old English. The lexical development of the field and the semantic development of the individual lexemes were evaluated: the verbs fulwian, cristnian, depan, dyppan, and the vocabulary for baptismal water in Old English. At every stage of the project, the linguistic data was correlated to theological, liturgical and cultural backgrounds.
Cultural Exchange in the Languages and Literatures of Medieval Spain
Professor David Wacks’s fascinating discussion of the Iberian Peninsula and it’s incredible linguistic heritage.
The History of German as a Foreign Language in Europe
This article provides the first overview in English of how German has been taught and learned in Europe up to about 1800
Do You Know The Meaning Of These 21 English Words From Centuries Past?
Quit twattling and take the quiz – these were words spoken in England from the Middle Ages and Early Modern eras…
The earliest use of the F-word discovered
An English historian has come across the word ‘fuck’ in a court case dating to year 1310, making it the earliest known reference to the swear word.
10 Phrases that Originated in the Middle Ages
Some of our most popular phrases have a long history, including some that go back to the Middle Ages.
The Origins of Cistercian Sign Language
The present study begins with a discussion of the different forms of non-verbal communication used in early medieval monastic communities, with an emphasis on the sources for the use of sign language among Cluniac monks.
How to Speak Middle English
This four-part series of videos created by Youtuber Thatoneguyinlitclass gives a quick guide to speaking in Middle English.
Book Review: Drout’s Quick and Easy Old English
It may seem a little incredible that anyone would need a textbook to learn an older version of his or her mother tongue, but learning Old English (Anglo-Saxon) takes some time and effort – and a good textbook.
How Do You Say ‘Bastard’ in Medieval Latin?
As I am finding, analysis of the language of illegitimate birth reveals a rich, complex vocabulary used to indicate something less than fully legitimate birth.
