English Class 11 Chapter 3 Notes Bihar Board बिहार बोर्ड

Old English

1. Old English Period Overview

• Timeframe: AD 449 to AD 1066.
• Names: Also known as Anglo-Saxon and Anglo-Celtic, with the first two being more popular.
• Historical Significance:
  • The arrival of the Anglo-Saxons from Europe to Britain in 449 marked the beginning.
  • The Norman Conquest in 1066 infused many French words into English.

2. Anglo-Saxon Influence

• Anglo-Saxon Tribes: War-like tribes from Europe that transformed Celtic Britain into Germanic England.
• Anglo-Saxon Heptarchy: Seven kingdoms formed by the Saxons, who eventually dominated due to their superior political organization.
• Celtic Influence: Minimal influence on the Anglo-Saxons; few Celtic words remain, mostly place and river names (e.g., Dover, Thames, Trent).

3. Dialectal Variation in Old English

• Dialects:
  • Kentish
  • Northumbrian
  • Mercian
  • West Saxon
• Cause of Variation: The involvement of three different Anglo-Saxon tribes led to the existence of multiple dialects.

4. Characteristics of Old English

• Language Differences:
  • Alien spelling, unfamiliar vocabulary, and different grammatical structures.
• Writing System:
  • Initially used Runic alphabets with sharp, straight lines.
  • Post 6th Century: Shift to Roman script due to the spread of Christianity.
  • Norman Conquest (1066): Introduction of French characters and letters like Q, W, J.

5. Foreign Influences on Old English

• Repeated Foreign Intrusions:
  • Latin and Scandinavian influences were significant.
  • Roman and Scandinavian invasions brought in their vocabulary.
• Latin Influence:
  • Pre-Anglo-Saxon Era: Latin was a world language, influencing many European languages.
  • Post-Anglo-Saxon Era: Military, agriculture, and trade vocabularies were Latin-derived (e.g., ‘wall’ from “vallum”).
  • Christianity’s Role: Spread of literacy around AD 600 brought more Latin words into English, particularly in religion and learning (e.g., ‘heaven’, ‘gospel’, ‘school’).
• Scandinavian Influence:
  • Vikings’ Role: Scandinavian inhabitants like Vikings introduced their language.
  • Vocabulary Expansion: Everyday interactions led to the incorporation of basic words (e.g., ‘birth’, ‘sky’, ‘get’).
  • Grammatical Influence: Pronouns like ‘they’, ‘their’, and ‘them’ were borrowed from Scandinavian languages.

6. Old English Literature

• Types:
  • Oral Tradition: Brought by Germanic tribes.
  • Written Tradition: Songs, poems, and religious writings after literacy spread.
• Surviving Manuscripts:
  • Beowulf Manuscript
  • Junius Manuscript
  • Exeter Book
  • Vercelli Book
• King Alfred’s Contributions:
  • Role: Scholar, soldier, and ruler who translated Latin works into West Saxon.
  • Notable Work: The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, the first English prose and continuous history of England.

7. End of Old English

• Norman Conquest Impact:
  • French Dominance: French became the language of the court, education, and governance.
  • Survival of English: Continued to be the language of the masses, eventually regaining dominance due to inter-marriage and cultural integration.