The History of English Podcast

This podcast explores the development of the Earls as a new noble class and compares the social and economic systems of feudal England and the Anglo-Saxon period. It discusses the influence of Old English on agricultural vocabulary, the common animals kept by peasants in Anglo-Saxon England, the etymology of knitting terms and the dependence on sheep, and the origins of words related to grass cutting and harvesting. It also delves into the reign of King Canoot, his consolidation of power, and the cultural influences of the Anglo-Saxons and Scandinavians.

This episode explores the Danish Conquest of England, the challenges of English throne succession, Alfred the Monk and his contribution to written English, the impact of taxes in Anglo-Saxon England, the history of the city of London, and the origins and etymology of funeral and burial terms.

The podcast explores the decline of the Anglo-Saxon Golden Age and the making and breaking of deals during this period. It discusses the genetic support for linguistic research, the reign of King Edgar and the blending of church and state, competition for land in Anglo-Saxon England, the evolution of 'sell' and 'borrow' in English, the origins of mortgages in Anglo-Saxon England, and a pivotal treaty and marriage alliance.

Exploring the collectors who preserved Old English literature, the etymology and evolution of the word 'news', Dunstan's mysterious survival, Old English manuscripts and their unconventional uses, and the tradition of riddles and wordplay in Old English.

The podcast explores the Wessex Literary Revival in the tenth century after the defeat of the Vikings. It discusses the rise of Dunstan and the implementation of strict rules in Glastonbury abbey. The origins and meanings of Old English hand signals are explored, along with the influence of Benedictine monasteries on English literature. The evolution of the word 'cell' and its association with monasteries, as well as the consequences of Benedictine reforms on the English language, are also discussed.

Do you say ‘dived’ or ‘dove’? How about ‘shrank’ or ‘shrunk’? And when do you say ‘hanged’ instead of ‘hung’? We’ll explore the answers to these questions in this episode. The answers lie in the history of the English language – and specifically the distinction between so-called ‘weak’ verbs and ‘strong’ verbs. TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 56

‘To be or not to be?’ That may be the question. But where did the various forms of our modern verb ‘to be’ come from?  And what about other Shakespearean phrases like ‘he hath,’ and ‘thou shalt,’ and ‘fear not?’ In this episode, we explore the Anglo-Saxon or Viking origins of some of these common verb forms in early Modern English. We also examine the history of the English word ‘not.’ TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 55

The Modern English pronouns were largely inherited from the Anglo-Saxons.  While many of them have survived intact, others have changed quite a bit over the centuries. Some disappeared, some new ones were created, and some were even borrowed from the Vikings. This time we explore the history of the English personal pronouns. We also examine the historical roots of the modern confusion surrounding the proper use of English personal pronouns. TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 54

In the 10th century, several factors came together in northern England which resulted in the loss of Old English inflectional endings. This was a fundamental change to English grammar which simplified word forms and led to a fixed a word order. We conclude this episode by examining the plural word forms used in Modern English, and examining how those plural forms evolved in the context of inflectional loss. TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 53

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. But the Anglo-Saxon victory did little to secure the region around York. The Viking influence remained strong there, and control of York passed between the English and the Vikings. One consequence of that prominent Viking presence was the continuing flow of Norse words into the northern English dialects. We continue to explore the influence of Scandinavian vocabulary on Modern English. TRANSCRIPT: EPISODE 52