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The Level Up English Podcast

#229 The History of English with Kevin Stroud

Jul 19, 2023
Kevin Stroud, host of the History of English Podcast, joins the show to discuss the fascinating history of the English language. They delve into topics such as the absence of a dedicated letter for 'TH', the standardization of language in England, the first dictionaries, the prevalence of French words, silent letters, the origins of English surnames, and more!
45:30

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • English spelling has a complex history influenced by different languages and historical events, resulting in the presence of silent letters in words.
  • The standardization of the English language originated in the Wessex kingdom and was influenced by French, Latin, and the shift from inflectional endings to simplified grammar structure.

Deep dives

The History of English Podcast

The History of English Podcast, hosted by Kevin Stroud, explores the chronological history of the English language. It begins with the ancient Proto Indo-European language, which serves as the predecessor of English. The podcast covers various influences on English, such as Latin, French, Greek, and Norse. It explains how the language evolved over time and the reasons behind the spelling, pronunciation, and vocabulary variations. The podcast also delves into the connection between language and culture, highlighting how borrowed words reflect the importance of different aspects of each culture.

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