1 The Benedictine Reform - an important stage in the history of Old English 1

2 Table of contents 1. Linguistic and Historical context 2. Protagonists and reforms in particular 3. Effects on the Old English langugage 2

3 Linguistic context  Generally: Latin influence on English   3 stages of Latin influence on Old English Zero Period: continental borrowing First Period: through Celtic transmission Second Period: Christianizing of England  earlier influence of Christianity (597 AD - 9th century)  Benedictine Reform (959 AD - end of OE period) 3

4  8th century: England held the intellectual leadership of Europe  9th/10th century: downturn of the Church Viking invasions Decay of moral standards within the Church   decay of education and learning   reforms were urgently needed  959 AD: King Eadgar  starting point of the Benedictine Reform Historical context 4

5 2. The three Protagonists  Dunstan ( A.D.) Abbot of Glastonbury Abbey, Bishop of Worcester and of London, Archbishop of Canterbury  Æþelwold ( A.D.) Bishop of Winchester  Oswald (? A.D.) Bishop of Worcester, Archbishop of York 5

6 2. Special Concerns of the Reform  Improvement of education  Establishment of schools  Encouragement of learning among monks and clergy 6

7 2. Results of the Reform movement  uniformity of observance within monastic foundations  the three reformers were established in key positions of the English church and counsellors to the king  the King owned the power to install people in clerical positions  monasteries became once more centres of literary activity  composition of literary works in the vernacular 7

8 3. Translations from Latin to English  New Latin Importations less popular words than earlier Christian borrowings learned, scientific character i.e. medical terms: cancer, paralysis animal names: scorpion, camel herbal and tree names: cucumber, ginger clerical terms came through books 8

9  Application of native words to new concepts shows the affect Christianity had on the lives and thoughts of the English people words that expressed already existing conceptions of Anglo-Saxon culture were by slight adaptations made to fit their new Christian meaning i.e. OE „God“ instead of lat. „Deus“ OE „Hálig Gást“ instead of lat. Spiritus Sanctus OE „déofol“ instead of lat. „diabulus“

10 Effects on the Old English langugage  Texts directly written in Old English   most manuscripts in Old English date from the time of the Bendictine Reform  Important authors: AEthelwold (preface to Regularis Concordia) AElfric (pupil of AEthelwold ; largest corpus of OE writing) 10

11 Effects on the Old English langugage  AEthelwold and his Winchester school   effects on Old English? Skilful master of OE himself Teaching Latin in the vernacular à Extraordinary interest in the OE language à England‘s first English philologists 11

12 Effects on the Old English langugage  Why was AEthelwold so occupied with OE?  What were his intentions behind the promotion of OE? Access to knowledge also for the common/uneducated people Thesis: creation of a literary standard !!! 12

13 Effects on the Old English langugage  By the time of the Norman Conquest: highly developped OE literary standard  Gradual development unlikely   Must have been a regulative force behind this development   AEthelwold‘s school and scriptorium in Winchester 13

14 Effects on the Old English langugage  AElfric‘s work  Thesis: „Winchester Vocabulary“   first step towards a literary standard 14

15 Effects on the Old English langugage  Conclusion: Development of a temporary literary standard ??? Permanent extension of the (Old) English vocabulary! 15