Students will acquire knowledge of the languages of the early medieval British Isles and of the early medieval literatures and cultures that have been a source of inspiration for modern authors, including T.S. Elliot, Ezra Pound, W.H. Auden and J.R.R. Tolkien.
Students of English:
(1) Acquire an understanding of the OE language (phonology, syntax, morphology)
and skills in translating Old English
(2) A historical perspective on Modern English Grammar and its relation to other Germanic languages
(3) Can undertake research (e.g. a B.A. thesis) on an Anglo-Saxon topic from either a cultural, philological or linguistic perspective.
Students of Celtic:
(1) Acquire knowledge of the principles of language change
(2) are able to understand and apply the terminology and concepts involved in the description of language change
(3) are acquainted with the ways in which data sets can be turned into language history
(4) possess knowledge of the outlines of the history of Irish and Welsh.
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This interdisciplinary course focuses on the languages and cultures of the peoples that dominated the British Isles during the early medieval period (c.400-c.1100) - the Anglo-Saxons, Insular Celts and Scandinavians - and how they interacted and influenced each other. The course is aimed at students of English and Celtic, so the group will be split up accordingly for the seminar sessions.
The English track provides a thorough introduction to the OE language (phonology, syntax, morphology) and helps students develop skills in translating OE. By placing the study of Old English in its cultural historical context through the translation and discussion of a number of literary and non-literary texts, the course also explores topics such as medieval history writing, learning in Anglo-Saxon England, daily life, the position of women, manuscript culture, and early legal tradition.
The Celtic track provides students with a thorough understanding of language change in all its forms (phonological, morphological, syntactic, lexical, etc.), with a strong focus on the Medieval Insular Celtic languages. As such, it serves as an introduction to historical linguistics and is the first course in the specialization “Language contact and language change” for Celtic students.
LAS and TCS students who follow this course as part of the core curriculum of their major need to complete a compulsory preparation course/assignment. See students.uu.nl/gw/tcs for more information.
This course is part of the In-depth Courses Language Matters.
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