In this talk we'll explore how and why languages change with particular emphasis on the linguistics of Old English.

Our Friends of the Library Lecture series for 2023 continues on Monday 19 June 2023 with a talk by Professor Mark De Vos entitled, How the Norse made English: A brief history of (Old) English from 600 to 1400.

In this talk we'll explore how and why languages change with particular emphasis on the linguistics of Old English. Old English was a West-Germanic language originating on the European mainland.  In essence it had much more in common with modern German than with the modern English language. Old English itself had almost entirely supplanted the Celtic languages previously spoken in the former Roman province.  But with the arrival of successive waves of Norse migration and invasion, the Anglo Saxon Languages began a series of linguistic changes.  As this story unfolds, we may take
some excursions along the way to consider some aspects of Saxon poetry, other instances of pidginization and creolization such as Afrikaans, Haitian and Tok Pisin and how these processes may be similar or different to those that unfolded in (Old) English.

All are welcome. Entry is by donation in aid of the Friends of the Grahamstown Public Libraries - Hill Street, Duna, Fingo Village, Community, Alicedale, Riebeek East & Extension 9.