Episode 34: Sounds Like Old English

FromThe History of English Podcast

Start listening View podcast show

Episode 34: Sounds Like Old English

FromThe History of English Podcast

ratings:

Length:

44 minutes

Released:

Nov 27, 2013

Format:

Podcast episode

Description

The sound of English began to change as soon as the first Anglo-Saxons arrived in Britain. We explore the specific sound changes which occurred and the impact which those changes had on modern English.

Released:

Nov 27, 2013

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

The Spoken History of a Global Language

Skip carousel

Episode 3: The Indo-European Family Tree: A look at the family tree of Indo-European languages and the relationship of English to those related languages. The closest relatives of English are highlighted, including the Germanic languages, Latin and Greek. by The History of English Podcast
35 min listen
Episode 9: Who Were the Indo-Europeans?: The evidence is examined to determine when and where the original Indo-Europeans lived. Based upon this evidence, the probable identity of the first Indo-Europeans is revealed. by The History of English Podcast
41 min listen
Episode 1: Introduction: In this introductory episode, we look at the emergence of English as a global language and the evolution of the language from its Germanic origins. by The History of English Podcast
24 min listen
Episode 15: Etruscans, Romans and a Modified Alphabet: The first Indo-Europeans settle into Italy, but they encounter an existing civilization known as the Etruscans. The Etruscans borrow the alphabet from the Greeks, and soon pass it on to the Romans. Our modern alphabet finally begins to emerge. by The History of English Podcast
38 min listen
Episode 12: Early Greek, Hittite and the Trojan War: The first Greek and Hittite civilizations emerge from Indo-European tribes in the eastern Mediterranean. The Greeks adopt an early form of writing and fight the Trojans. An alphabet allows the ancient history of the Greeks to be recorded in the … Conti... by The History of English Podcast
73 min listen
Episode 2: The Indo-European Discovery: The story of the discovery of the ancient language which gave rise to most of the languages of Europe, including English. by The History of English Podcast
33 min listen
Episode 4: A Grimm Brother Resurrects the Dead (…language): The famous fairy-tale collector Jacob Grimm formulated the rules which help modern linguists reconstruct the ancient Indo-European language. In this episode, we look at Grimm’s Law and how the Germanic languages evolved from the original ancestral lan... by The History of English Podcast
50 min listen
Episode 11: Germanic Ancestors: We look at the emergence of the Usatovo culture which spoke an Indo-European dialect believed to be the ancient ancestor of the Germanic languages – including English. We also look at the later migrations of the Indo-European tribes throughout Europe …... by The History of English Podcast
30 min listen
Episode 31: Saxons, Franks and Other West Germans: During the period of the Anglo-Saxon migrations, the West Germanic tribes of northern Europe continued to fight for power against the Romans and against each other. This period saw the emergence of the High German dialects, by The History of English Podcast
65 min listen
Episode 17: Ancient Celts and the Latin Invasion of Gaul: We look at the arrival of Celtic speaking people in Europe, and the invasion of Celtic Gaul by the Romans. Celtic is replaced by Latin in Western Europe, leading to the modern Romance languages. Celtic words in modern English are … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
46 min listen
Episode 5: Centum, Satem and the Letter C: A look at the early division of the Indo-European languages into the Centum and Satem languages. The sound shift which marks the division of the Centum and Satem languages is then explored in the context of the modern English letter … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
43 min listen
Episode 26: Imperial Crisis and the Goths: Rome is racked by ‘Imperial Crisis’ while strong Germanic tribes gather along the Rhine and Danube. The Alamanni, Franks, Vandals and Goths rise to power and provide us with many words in modern English. The Goths translate the Bible into … Continue re... by The History of English Podcast
62 min listen
Episode 14: The Greek Word Horde: The Classical Greek period is explored with an emphasis on Modern English words which originated during this period of Greek history. by The History of English Podcast
46 min listen
Episode 10: Early Indo-European Migrations: The emergence of the first Indo-Europeans and the early migrations of these steppe herders is examined. The specific advantages favoring the expansion of these people is explored in detail. by The History of English Podcast
43 min listen
Episode 7: More Indo-European Words: We complete our review Indo-European words which have impacted modern English. Social terms are explored to provide an insight into Indo-European society and culture. by The History of English Podcast
31 min listen
Episode 30: The Celtic Legacy: We explore the linguistic legacy of the native Celtic Britons on Modern English. The historical legacy of the legendary Celtic king named Arthur is also examined. by The History of English Podcast
67 min listen
Episode 6: Indo-European Words: A look at words used by the original Indo-Europeans and the clues such words provide to the identity of the first Indo-Europeans. The etymology of modern English words is explored in relation to the original Indo-European words. by The History of English Podcast
38 min listen
Episode 8: Indo-European Grammar (Where have all the inflexions gone?): The grammar of the original Indo-European language is compared to Modern English. We explore the word endings called ‘inflexions’ which were a prominent feature of the original Indo-European language. by The History of English Podcast
33 min listen
Episode 44: The Romance of Old French: The modern French language evolved from a Latin dialect spoken in Gaul during the period of the late Roman Empire. That language ultimately became mixed with Old English after the Norman Conquest of 1066. Approximately half of the words in … Continue r... by The History of English Podcast
63 min listen
Bonus Episode 1: Kevin Stroud updates listeners regarding the podcast and the website for the podcast. Kevin also answers some questions posed by listeners. by The History of English Podcast
13 min listen
Episode 18: Keeping Time With The Romans: We explore the origin of modern English words related to time. A direct connection is made to the calendar reforms of Julius Caesar. The etymology of English words related to time illustrate the combined influences of the Germanic languages and … Conti... by The History of English Podcast
53 min listen
Episode 47: The Man Who Saved English: King Alfred is the only English monarch to be known as “the Great.” His struggles and ultimate victory over the Danes ensured the survival of the Anglo-Saxon culture and the English language. In this episode, we explore the life of … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
64 min listen
Episode 33: Missionaries and Manuscripts: In this episode, we explore the events which led to the first document written in the English language – the laws of Aethelbert of Kent. We look at the rise of monasteries, the role of St. Patrick in the conversion … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
49 min listen
Episode 20: The Early Germanic Tribes: The first Germanic-speaking tribes emerge in northern Europe. We explore the connection between these tribes and the original Indo-Europeans. We then look at the expansion of the Germanic tribes into the Celtic region of central Europe and their earl... by The History of English Podcast
46 min listen
Episode 13: Greece, Phoenicia and the Alphabet: Mycenaean Greek writing disappears during the Greek Dark Age, but the Greeks encounter the Phoenicians and adopt their alphabet. The Greek alphabet results in the spread of literacy. Modern English words from this period of Greek history are examined. by The History of English Podcast
39 min listen
Episode 16: The Rise of Rome – and Latin: We look at the rise of the Roman Republic from a small Italian city-state to the dominant political and military power of the Mediterranean. The expansion of Rome also led to the expansion of Latin which emerged as a common … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
39 min listen
Episode 21: Early Germanic Words: We look at the first inscription found in a Germanic language and the vocabulary of the early Germanic tribes. The impact of Grimm’s Law on the early Germanic language is examined. by The History of English Podcast
42 min listen
Episode 34: Sounds Like Old English: The sound of English began to change as soon as the first Anglo-Saxons arrived in Britain. We explore the specific sound changes which occurred and the impact which those changes had on modern English. by The History of English Podcast
44 min listen
Episode 22: Early Germanic Grammar: We look at the grammar of the early Germanic tribes. The decreasing use of inflexions is explored. Elements of modern English grammar are identified within the original Germanic language. by The History of English Podcast
35 min listen
Episode 19: The Romanization of Britain: The Roman Empire emerges following the death of Julius Caesar. Emperor Claudius sets his sights on Britain, and the native Celtic culture becomes Romanized. We look at the evolution of Latin words related to law, money and social classes. by The History of English Podcast
52 min listen

More Episodes from The History of English Podcast

Skip carousel

Episode 175: The English of Romeo and Juliet: Romeo and Juliet is one of William Shakespeare’s most popular plays and one of the most popular plays ever written. In this episode, we examine the language of the play to see how it reflects the English of Elizabethan England, … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
93 min listen
Episode 174: Speak and Spell: English spelling largely reflects the state of the language in the late 1500s. In this episode, we look at one of the first English spelling books, and we explore several plays by William Shakespeare to examine the way he rhymed … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
89 min listen
Episode 173: Fooling Around: In this episode, we look at the development of English comedy in the early modern era. We examine some of William Shakespeare’s early comedies, and we also distinguish Shakespearean comedy from other types of comedic performances which had been popular... by The History of English Podcast
85 min listen
Episode 172: Succession: In this episode, we explore the concept of a successful succession. During the early 1590s, France was divided by a bitter conflict over the succession of Henry of Navarre to the French throne. Meanwhile, William Shakespeare wrote a couple of … Continu... by The History of English Podcast
95 min listen
Episode 171: Shakespeare’s English (featuring Ben Crystal): In this episode, we turn our attention to the wordcraft of William Shakespeare. Today, many people have mixed opinions about his plays and poems. They know that he is widely regarded as the greatest English writer of all time, but … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
67 min listen
Episode 170: Printers, Plague and Poets: In this episode, we examine the connection between poetry and plague in the early 1590s. An outbreak of the recurring sickness contributed to Shakespeare’s early career as a poet, and that poetry likely included his many sonnets. by The History of English Podcast
77 min listen
Episode 169: Shakespeare Documented: William Shakespeare is widely considered to be the most important writer in the history of the English language, but relatively little is known about his personal life. The desire to know more about the ‘Bard of Avon’ has led to … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
61 min listen
Episode 168: Witches, Demons and Fairies: In this episode, we explore the Elizabethan fascination with witchcraft and mysterious creatures like fairies and demons. Those subjects feature prominently in the literature of the period, and they reveal a lot about the world view of the people who …... by The History of English Podcast
116 min listen
Episode 166: The Arte of Warre: In 1588, the Spanish Armada set sail for England in an attempt to depose Elizabeth I and replace her with a Spanish princess. In this episode, we examine how the English victory secured the status of English within the Church … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
76 min listen
Episode 165: Glamorous Grammar: William Bullokar composed the first formal grammar of the English language in 1586. Prior to that point, the concept of grammar had been largely restricted to Latin. Bullokar’s work extended the concept to English, by The History of English Podcast
62 min listen
Episode 164: Somewhere in the Middle: Throughout her long reign, Queen Elizabeth I was faced with many difficult decisions, and she often chose a middle path when she could. In this episode, we explore the middle paths taken during her reign, and the consequences of those … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
79 min listen
Episode 163: An Elementary Education: By the second half of the Elizabethan period, the perception of English had changed significantly in England. It was increasingly perceived as a sophisticated language capable of matching the refinement of other European languages. by The History of English Podcast
70 min listen
Episode 162: The Pirate Queen: In the 1570s, Francis Drake plundered Spanish ships throughout the New World with the private permission of Elizabeth I. His actions marked the first direct challenge to Spanish naval supremacy in the region, by The History of English Podcast
68 min listen
Episode 161: Y U and I Have a Problem: In this episode, we explore the complicated history of the letters Y, U and I, and we examine how they gave birth to the letters W, V and J. We also look at the Gothic script of the Middle Ages … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
75 min listen
Episode 160: Approximately English: In this episode, we explore the sounds represented by the letters L and R. Linguists refer to these sounds as ‘approximates,’ and they are some of the most challenging sounds in the English language. They are consonants with vowel-like qualities. by The History of English Podcast
80 min listen
Episode 159: Elizabethan Voices: In 1569, an English scholar named John Hart published a manuscript called ‘An Orthographie.’ The text argued for a phonetic spelling system, and it provided one of the earliest detailed descriptions of the sounds of English. In this episode, by The History of English Podcast
79 min listen
Episode 158: Planting Seeds: In the mid-1500s, England attempted to expand its influence in Ireland by establishing plantations there. This same process would soon be applied to North America. In this episode, we explore those early attempts at Irish colonization and England’s fir... by The History of English Podcast
66 min listen
Episode 157: Highlands, Lowlands and Netherlands: During the first decade of the reign of Elizabeth I, Protestants in Scotland and the Netherlands rebelled against the Catholic authorities who controlled those countries. Those rebellions were supported by England, by The History of English Podcast
70 min listen
Episode 156: Beggars, Cheats and Thieves: In the 1500s, England saw a significant rise in the number of beggars and vagabonds. Those who couldn’t survive by begging often turned to thievery, gambling and fraud. By the mid-1500s, books and pamphlets were being published that highlighted the … C... by The History of English Podcast
68 min listen
Episode 155: Back to Basics: In the 1553, Mary Tudor became the first queen to rule England as the head of the government. She promptly turned back the clock on the religious reforms that had taken place over the prior few years. Meanwhile, scholars of … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
65 min listen
Episode 154: English Equality: By the mid-1500s, scholars were becoming more confident in ability of English to express sophisticated ideas and concepts associated with classical learning. Writers began to use English beside Latin and Greek in many scholarly works during this period... by The History of English Podcast
61 min listen
Episode 153: Zombie Letters: In early Modern English, writers and printers began to revise the spelling of many English words to reflect their etymological origins. Old letters were revived from the dead to reflect sounds that had disappeared over time in those words. by The History of English Podcast
71 min listen
Episode 152: As the Saying Goes: John Heywood was a playwright and poet who made two important contributions to the history of English. He was a key figure in the emergence of modern English drama which led directly to William Shakespeare at the end of the … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
63 min listen
Episode 151: Sick to Death: During the reign of Henry VIII, medical books and herbals proved to be some of the most popular publications in England. The people of England wanted medical books that they could read in the own language. The largely unregulated medical … Continue rea... by The History of English Podcast
74 min listen
Episode 150: A Capital Offense: In the 1530s, Henry VIII declared himself to be the ‘Supreme Head’ of the Church of England, and he demanded absolute loyalty from his subjects. Those who crossed him risked the loss of their heads. Meanwhile, by The History of English Podcast
75 min listen
Episode 149: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do: In the years following Martin Luther’s protest against the Catholic Church, small fractures soon turned into a major rift. The Protestant Reformation led to the break-up of the Western Church. Meanwhile in England, by The History of English Podcast
67 min listen
$Episode 149: Breaking Up Is Hard To Do: In the years following Martin Luther’s protest against the Catholic Church, small fractures soon turned into a major rift. The Protestant Reformation led to the break-up of the Western Church. Meanwhile in England,$
Episode 148: A Marital Union: In the early 1500s, a series of marriages between European royal families re-shaped the face of Europe and brought together separate regions under the leadership of a single ruler. This led to creation of modern Spain and the formation of … Continue r... by The History of English Podcast
70 min listen
Episode 147: A Rude and Rusty Language: The European Renaissance provided a transition to the early modern era by looking back to the culture of classical Greece and Rome. It led to a renewed interest in ancient Greek and Latin and a new world view known as … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
58 min listen

Related podcast episodes

Skip carousel

Episode 40: Learning Latin and Latin Learning: Long before the Normans arrived in England, the Anglo-Saxons were borrowing Latin words from the monastic culture which was emerging in the 7th and 8th centuries. In this episode, we explore the spread of monastic schools and scholarship in Anglo-Saxon... by The History of English Podcast
55 min listen
Episode 61: Earls and Churls: During his reign as King of England, Canute established a new class of nobles who became known as earls. The authority of the earls was second only to the king himself. The king and the nobles ruled over the common … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
62 min listen
Episode 142: The Great Vowel Shift (Part 2): 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 … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
49 min listen
Episode 36: Finalizing the Alphabet: We complete our look at the first Old English alphabet by exploring the remaining letters of the original alphabet. The north-south divide resulted in distinct letters and different spelling conventions. But over time, by The History of English Podcast
43 min listen
Episode 38: Nobles, Nuptials and a Cowherd Poet: The kingdom of Northumbria emerged as a center of scholarship and learning during the 7th century. We explore the political and religious events which led to the Northumbrian Renaissance. We also explore the importance of strategic marriages and marita... by The History of English Podcast
65 min listen
Episode 143: The Great Vowel Shift (Part 3): 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 … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
57 min listen
Bonus Episode 4: Let Me ‘Buoy’ Your Spirits: How do you pronounce ‘buoy’? In this bonus episode, we explore the history of the word and the reasons why the word is pronounced differently in various parts of the English-speaking world. by The History of English Podcast
20 min listen
Bonus Episode 2: History of the Alphabet: Kevin discusses the new History of the Alphabet series. An excerpt from the series is included. The history of the ‘constant consonants’ (B,D,L,M,N,P,R,T) is explored. by The History of English Podcast
27 min listen
Episode 32: The Oldest English: We explore the early Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and their regional Old English dialects. The ‘Saxons’ soon become the ‘English.’ And ‘English’ provides the name of a new nation. by The History of English Podcast
38 min listen
Episode 37: Seafarers, Poets and Traveling Minstrels: Old English poets were ‘word weavers’ who often created new words to comply with the strict requirements of Germanic poetry. In this episode, we explore the role of the traveling minstrel in Anglo-Saxon culture. by The History of English Podcast
66 min listen
Episode 27: Broken Empire and Fractured Languages: Parchment books begin to replace papyrus scrolls as the Western Roman Empire crumbles. New Germanic Kingdoms emerge in the west, but Latin remains the dominant language in Western Europe. Latin itself begins to fracture without the Roman educational s... by The History of English Podcast
50 min listen
$Episode 27: Broken Empire and Fractured Languages: Parchment books begin to replace papyrus scrolls as the Western Roman Empire crumbles. New Germanic Kingdoms emerge in the west, but Latin remains the dominant language in Western Europe. Latin itself begins to fracture without the Roman educational s...$
Episode 68: Rebels With a Cause: It may come as a surprise that William the Conqueror embraced English after the Norman Conquest. He also maintained much of the existing Anglo-Saxon bureaucracy. Had William continued those policies, the English language would be very different today.... by The History of English Podcast
49 min listen
Episode 141: The Great Vowel Shift (Part 1): 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 … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
56 min listen
Episode 28: Angles, Saxons, Jutes and Frisians: We explore the origins of the Angles, Saxons, Jutes and Frisians in the North Sea region of northern Europe. The early raids on the coasts of Britain and Gaul set the stage for the later mass migrations. The similarities between … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
44 min listen
Episode 30: The Celtic Legacy: We explore the linguistic legacy of the native Celtic Britons on Modern English. The historical legacy of the legendary Celtic king named Arthur is also examined. by The History of English Podcast
67 min listen
Episode 33: Missionaries and Manuscripts: In this episode, we explore the events which led to the first document written in the English language – the laws of Aethelbert of Kent. We look at the rise of monasteries, the role of St. Patrick in the conversion … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
49 min listen
Episode 75: Mixed Languages and Scrambled Eggs: In this episode, we continue our look at the gradual emergence of Middle English from the linguistic rubble left in the wake of the Norman Conquest. English remained fractured and broken, and foreign influences continued to come in. by The History of English Podcast
50 min listen
$Episode 75: Mixed Languages and Scrambled Eggs: In this episode, we continue our look at the gradual emergence of Middle English from the linguistic rubble left in the wake of the Norman Conquest. English remained fractured and broken, and foreign influences continued to come in.$
Episode 54: Pronoun Pros and Cons: The Modern English pronouns were largely inherited from the Anglo-Saxons. While many of them have survived in tact, others have changed quite a bit over the centuries. Some disappeared, some new ones were created, by The History of English Podcast
56 min listen
Episode 50: A Unified Family of English Speakers: In the early 10th century, King Alfred’s children and grandchildren conquered the Viking region known as the Danelaw. This brought all of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms under the rule of a single monarch. That monarch was Aethelstan who became the first … Co... by The History of English Podcast
66 min listen
Episode 42: Beowulf and Other Viking Ancestors: The Viking-era states of Denmark, Sweden and Norway emerged from several North Germanic tribes in Scandinavia. These tribes also included the Geats who were prominently featured in Beowulf. In this episode, by The History of English Podcast
50 min listen
Episode 35: English Sounds and Roman Letters: As the sounds of English evolved in the 7th century, the first English scribes began to write the language with the Roman alphabet. But the English scribes had to invent ways to represent the unique sounds of Old English. In … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
56 min listen
Episode 78: Under Siege: In this episode, we explore the outbreak of civil war in England as forces loyal to Matilda took up arms against King Stephen. The civil war led to a breakdown of central authority. The power vacuum was filled by local … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
54 min listen
Episode 29: The Anglo-Saxon Invasion: The Anglo-Saxons arrived in the British shores as permanent settlers in the 5th century. They encountered native Britons who spoke Latin and Celtic languages. The two groups soon fought for control of the region we know today as England. by The History of English Podcast
55 min listen
Episode 59: Let’s Make A Deal: The decline of the Anglo-Saxon Golden Age occurred in the late 900s as the English kingdom passed from King Edgar to his son, Aethelred the Unready. it was a period surrounded by many deals, contracts, bargains and treaties. by The History of English Podcast
66 min listen
Episode 79: Anarchy: In the years after Matilda’s return to England, the country descended into chaos and civil war. This period is known by modern historians as the Anarchy. The events were recorded by a scribe in Peterborough who wrote in an early … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
50 min listen
Episode 17: Ancient Celts and the Latin Invasion of Gaul: We look at the arrival of Celtic speaking people in Europe, and the invasion of Celtic Gaul by the Romans. Celtic is replaced by Latin in Western Europe, leading to the modern Romance languages. Celtic words in modern English are … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
46 min listen
Episode 80: Knight Life: Much of the devastation of the Anarchy was carried out by knights who acted as thugs and bullies. For several generations, knights had served as the strongmen of western Europe. By the 12th century, the nature of knighthood was starting to change. by The History of English Podcast
65 min listen
Episode 20: The Early Germanic Tribes: The first Germanic-speaking tribes emerge in northern Europe. We explore the connection between these tribes and the original Indo-Europeans. We then look at the expansion of the Germanic tribes into the Celtic region of central Europe and their earl... by The History of English Podcast
46 min listen
Episode 39: Not Lost in Translation: The early Christian Church in Britain gradually embraced English as a way to spread to the message of the Church to the masses. This required the translation of Christian words and concepts from Latin into English. In this episode, … Continue reading → by The History of English Podcast
50 min listen
Episode 52: Bloody Axes and a Battle Royal: In the mid-900s, the English king battled a grand alliance of Celtic and Viking leaders at a place called Brunanburh. The result was an Anglo-Saxon victory, and one of the more important poems composed during the Old English period. by The History of English Podcast
56 min listen

Discover this podcast and so much more

Episode 34: Sounds Like Old English

Episode 34: Sounds Like Old English

Description

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from The History of English Podcast

Related podcast episodes