The History of English Podcast

In the 1500s, English spelling began to standardize, while pronunciation evolved dramatically. Scholars in the early 1600s called for phonetic reforms as spellings no longer matched how words sounded. The pride in English grew during the late Elizabethan period, highlighted by William Camden's 'Britannia.' Explore the fascinating journey of the letter A through various sounds and significant shifts in pronunciation due to influences like the Great Vowel Shift. Discover how the letters H, I, and J transformed under the Norman conquest and changed language forever.

In the early 1600s, cotton fabrics made in India were in high demand throughout Asia and Africa. When the English and Dutch arrived in India and Japan, they realized how popular the fabric was, and they soon began to ship it back to northern Europe. In this episode, we explore how the ‘cotton craze’ of the 1600s shaped the modern world, and shaped the English language. We also examine the end of the Shakespearean period and the second English dictionary. TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 183

In the early 1600s, English began to spread around the world as speakers searched for new trading partners and new places to settle. Through that process, English become an international language, but as English speakers encountered people and languages in distant places, they sometimes became confused. That confusion and uncertainty shaped the English language during this period. In this episode, we explore early English loanwords from North America, Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and the first English trading post in India. TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 182

Discover how the telescope's invention in the 1600s challenged traditional views of the universe and sparked conflicts with the Catholic Church. Uncover the King James Bible's transformative impact on English, filling the language with lasting idioms. Explore the shift from divine explanations of natural disasters to a scientific inquiry of the cosmos, shaped by the likes of Galileo and Copernicus. Dive into the collaborative efforts behind the Bible's translation and the significant linguistic evolution that defined this pivotal era.

In the early 1600s, English speakers were on the move, influencing the language's evolution. The impact of colonization in North America and migration to Ireland reshaped regional accents and dialects. Political and cultural shifts during King James I’s reign inspired a unified British identity, while Shakespeare’s works mirrored the colonization era. The naming of Australia and the evolution of American place names reflected early English contributions to vocabulary. Roticity and accents traced how migration affected pronunciation across different regions.

Explore the early 1600s in England, a time rich with defining moments that shaped the English language. Discover the significance of the King James Bible and the first English dictionary. Dive into Shakespeare's 'Twelfth Night' with its themes of love and mistaken identity. Learn about Bartholomew Gosnold’s expedition to New England and the intriguing interactions with indigenous peoples. Unravel the political drama of the Gunpowder Plot and its cultural ramifications. This period truly redefined England and its language.

In the first couple of years of the 1600s, several new Shakespeare plays appeared. Much Ado About Nothing and As You Like It were recorded in the Stationer’s Register, and a third play called The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark was likely performed on the stage for the first time. In this episode, we’ll look at those plays and examine how they influenced the English language. We also explore the creation of the East India Company in 1600 and the Essex Rebellion of 1601. Works discussed in this episode include:Much Ado About Nothing – William ShakespeareAs You Like It – William ShakespeareThe Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark – William Shakespeare TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 178

Exploring clothing and fashion in Elizabethan era, Shakespeare's plays about Julius Caesar and Henry V, evolution of clothing terms in theater, linguistic influences on culture and fashion, origins of footwear-related terminology, events surrounding Julius Caesar's assassination, evolution of fabric names and language

Theaters were an important part of cultural life in Elizabethan England, and they contributed many words to the English language. Those words joined thousands of other words that were pouring into English from around the world. In this episode, we look at how distant cultures were contributing to the growth of English and how Shakespeare’s acting company built a world-famous theater in the late 1500s. Works discussed in this episode include:Henry IV, Parts One and Two – William ShakespeareThe Merry Wives of Windor – William ShakespeareA Report of the Kindome of Congo – Abraham Hartwell, TranslatorThe Isle of Dogs – Ben Jonson and Thomas NasheDiscours of voyages into ye Easte & West IndiesA Worlde of Wordes – John FlorioPalladis Tamia, Wit’s Treasury – Francis Meres TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 176

Exploring the linguistic nuances and pronunciation changes in Shakespeare's works, highlighting the evolution of terms and sounds in Early Modern English. Delving into the historical evolution of English pronunciation, tracing the disappearance of hard 'g' sounds and the development of the ING sound. Analyzing Shakespeare's linguistic techniques in Romeo and Juliet, focusing on syntax, word order, and Juliet's contemplation on names. Exploring the evolution of vowel sounds in Elizabethan English, impacting words like 'bob' and 'cough, and hinting at the emergence of a distinct American accent.