At 3:09 PM +1030 12/21/10, Andrew Moschou wrote:
English, before the Normal invasion, was one of the most literary and scholarly languages in Europe.
I don't question your information, but that surprises me, especially since my impression is that before 1066 there WAS no "English" language, but a mixture of Anglo-Saxon and whatever the native language was in the South, probably with different dialects in every valley separated by mountains. And of course Latin was the language of the church, of scholarship, and of international diplomacy (such as it was!). After 1066 of course, Norman French became the language of government and the military, Latin remained the language of scholarship and diplomacy, and "English" grew up among the common people with no grammarians paying attention to enforce "rules." Or do I have it wrong?
John Wyclif's translation after that time helped to restore that status and it was definitely not allowed by the Church.
I have assumed that that was the translation approved by Henry's Parliament a couple of hundred years later, but I've never read anything to confirm that.
I thoroughly recommend the documentary at http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/adventure-of-english/ (which can be viewed online) for a history of the English language.
Thank you! I will find that of great interest. John -- John R. Howell, Assoc. Prof. of Music Virginia Tech Department of Music College of Liberal Arts & Human Sciences Blacksburg, Virginia, U.S.A. 24061-0240 Vox (540) 231-8411 Fax (540) 231-5034 (mailto:john.how...@vt.edu) http://www.music.vt.edu/faculty/howell/howell.html "We never play anything the same way once." Shelly Manne's definition of jazz musicians. _______________________________________________ Finale mailing list Finale@shsu.edu http://lists.shsu.edu/mailman/listinfo/finale
