Beowulf

Notes on History of the English Language/Old English: (Text in **//bold italics//** indicates notes necessary, but not included in Wednesday's information; You should add these notes to the ones you took in class.)


 * Germanic language **//evolved into German, Dutch, English, Afrikaans, Yiddish, and Scandinavian languages//**


 * //the language spread because people wanted to conquer their neighbors OR look for better farm land//**


 * Old English = ~400 - ~1100 also called Anglo-Saxon
 * characteristics include: some Latin influence, nouns have 3 genders (masculine, feminine, neuter), numbers were singular or plural, four cases (nominative, accusative, dative, genitive), infinitive verbs end in -an

[backwards 6 crossed like a t] = th sound in "theater" [letter p with some extra length at the top] = th sound in "father" ae = a sound in "apple" a can be like a in "father" and/or a in "day" cyning = king cnicht (OE) = cnight (ME) = knight (ModE)


 * DISCUSSION POSTS FOR //BEOWULF// WILL BE CHECKED FOR A GRADE ON MONDAY MORNING, 2/1 BEFORE CLASS. MAKE SURE YOU'VE COMPLETED BOTH RESPONSES BY THEN.**