Old English Literature and Language

Front

What was Old English spoken by?

Back

The Anglo-Saxons and their descendants.

Front

When was Old English spoken?

Back

From about the mid-5th century to the mid-12th century.

Front

What influenced Old English?

Back

Latin and Old Norse spoken by the Vikings.

Front

What type of language was Old English?

Back

A fully inflected language with case endings and an elaborate system of declensions.

Front

What were most Old English words?

Back

Germanic, coming from the languages of the Angles, Jutes, and Saxons.

Front

What was the Wessex variant?

Back

The prevailing dialect of Old English.

Front

What alphabet was Old English initially written in?

Back

The Anglo-Saxon runic alphabet.

Front

What happened to Old English writing after the Romans conquered Britain?

Back

It progressively shifted to Latin.

Front

What characterizes Old English literature?

Back

It was oral and anonymous, recited by scops or bards.

Front

What role did monasteries play in Old English literature?

Back

They became important centers of culture where ancient texts were written down.