Beginning Old English Review

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Beginning Old English ReviewThis basic introduction to old english(NOT Old English!)is an excellent
guide for students in Korea and Japan who want to have a quick look at
the overall review of old english language and literature as a subsidiary
text in their old english classes. Very practical and explicit explana-
tions on the selected old english language and literature. Highly recommendable for scholars whose major is NOT old english.Beginning Old English OverviewThis is a simple introduction to Old English for students with little or no linguistic knowledge. Unlike other textbooks on the subject, Beginning Old English focuses on the explanation and illustration of how the language works, using accessible illustrations from simplified Old English texts and demonstrating how many feature of present-day English have their roots in this stage of the language. It also includes long extracts from popular Old English works for use in the classroom.

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Globish: How the English Language Became the World's Language Review

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Globish: How the English Language Became the World's Language ReviewI heard a glowing review of this book on NPR, and bought it for my Kindle within a few minutes. I have always had an intense interest both in the evolution of English and in its current spread into a global phenomenon, and so a book that looked at those two things seemed just about perfect. And what was better, the author was the guy who did that "A History of English" thing on the BBC. How could I go wrong?
Well, it wasn't a great book. It wasn't bad, but it had very little depth. A substantial portion of it was just a review of basic history, such as a description of Shakespeare's contributions or a restatement of one of Thomas Friedman's notions - and then with a tacked-on explanation of how it related to the development of Globish. The real mechanics of the process of English's evolution was seldom touched except in the most common way (i.e. a reminder that our most-used words all come from the Old). This was disappointing - I was hoping for something a little more scholarly and new. I was also disappointed in a similar way in the sections on the modern use of Globish - we are given only some light anecdotes reviewing the familiar trends of campus-educated Indians making the language their own and growing into a niche. It was about as innovative as last night's PB&J sandwich.
In short, this would probably be a great book for beginners and people unfamiliar with the things being discussed. If you weren't aware that Shakespeare coined a lot of words and that shucks we still use them today, then this is for you. But if you want something innovative and deeper, then save your money. Or I guess bring it to the beach.Globish: How the English Language Became the World's Language Overview

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From Old English to Standard English: A Course Book in Language Variations Across Time (Studies in English Language) Review

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From Old English to Standard English: A Course Book in Language Variations Across Time (Studies in English Language) ReviewFreeborn's book presents a very useful hands-on approach to the evolution of the English language. He provides lots of REAL texts (including many in facsimile form) in the various dialects of Old English, and so on. At once, the reader feels that the subject is not really as remote as he or she might have imagined. This makes the book very useful as a textbook or a source book for a course introducing students to the history of the English language. I have just received a flyer announcing the arrival of an expanded second edition (due mid 1998), and am therefore looking forward to reading it.From Old English to Standard English: A Course Book in Language Variations Across Time (Studies in English Language) OverviewThis practical and informative course book leads the student through the development of the language from Old English, through Middle and Early Modern English to the establishment of Standard English in the eighteenth century. This third edition has been expanded to provide more guidance and background information for students. New sections have also been added to outline the development of writing hands and provide a brief introduction to palaeography. The book also now has a fully integrated supplemental website.

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Old English and its Closest Relatives: A Survey of the Earliest Germanic Languages Review

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Old English and its Closest Relatives: A Survey of the Earliest Germanic Languages ReviewThis fantastic little tome makes me completely reevaluate my ideas about how languages should be taught. Employing only the most minimal amount of linguistics terminology, Robinson walks the reader through seven texts in related Germanic languages. At the period they were written, these were not even distinct languages, but merely dialects of what experts in diachronic linguistics call "Proto-Germanic." The reader begins to see the connections between languages almost immediately. This is what I mean by saying that this is how languages should be taught. Bringing in a substantial etymological component to language teaching somehow provides context for each word, which somehow makes it more interesting and gripping.
For example -- here is a phrase in Old Frisian, which is a Germanic language that only grad students have ever heard of. The phrase is this, ""Thu skalt erja thinne feder and thine moder, thet tu theste langor libbe." Look familiar? If your life has ever brought you into contact with the Ten Commandments, it might remind you of the phrase "Thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother, that you might longer live." That's good if you make that connection, because that's what it means. That isn't even in English! Isn't that cool?!?! The whole book is full of things like that.
In terms of layout, Robinson begins with two introductory chapters in which he walks us through some of the more salient ideas in historical linguistics. The second chapter is very important to understand the bulk of the book. Please dwell on it, and try to read it through at least twice before moving on. Seriously, do this, it will only help. Then there are seven chapters on seven "dialects" of Proto-Germanic, followed up by an interesting little chapter on some controversial issues over which scholars wrangle. Each chapter has several recommendations for further reading at the end of the chapter. I myself have only tried out the recommendation for two of the chapters, Old Frisian an Old Norse, but Robinson's recommendations were terrific for me.
One thing I need to mention -- there is a chart of correspondences in sounds and grammar, on pages 250-251. Somehow, this chart was left out of the table of contents. It is very helpful -- you might want to dog-ear page 250, so you can always find it easily for quick reference, as you're going through each chapter.
Anyway, this book is great for the undergrad linguist, or for any armchair time traveller. Two thumbs up!Old English and its Closest Relatives: A Survey of the Earliest Germanic Languages OverviewThis accessible introductory reference source surveys the linguistic and cultural background of the earliest known Germanic languages and examines their similarities and differences.

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