When several Germanic tribes relocated from the European Continent to the British Isles around 450 CE, they (naturally) brought with them their Germanic dialects. The first written documents of this language, known today as Old English (OE), date back to c. 700 CE.

Using a varied selection of Old English texts, we will trace back the development of the English language to its historical roots, paying particular attention to the spelling, pronunciation, morphology, syntax and lexis of the language in its "purely Germanic" form before the Norman Conquest. The aim is to be able to read and understand OE prose texts with the help of a glossary. We will also have a brief look at Old Norse, a related language that was spoken by invaders from Scandinavia and that began to mix with Old English. Side issues that will be addressed include: The style of OE poetry, reading OE manuscripts, the runic alphabet, the role of Latin in the OE period, and OE in modern popular culture.

The main course book is Baker (2012).