Dialects of Old English
What is a “dialect”?
• A dialect is a variety of a language which is different from other
varieties of that language in terms of lexical and grammatical
properties which are specific to that dialect.
Lexical differences
• Dialects differ in terms of their lexical selections.
• For example:
• a teacake is a bread roll (in Huddersfield)
• Speakers from other regions might give it different names (cob, breadcake,
huffkin, batch)
Grammatical differences
• Dialectical differences also apply to grammatical properties.
• For instance:
• Do you not like carrots?
• Don’t you like carrots?
(Lancashire)
(Yorkshire)
• My hair needs washed.
• My hair needs washing.
(Scottish English)
(British English)
Old English dialectal differences
• Dialectal differences along these lines were also common in Old
English.
• Just as there are different dialects today, so too were there different
dialects of Old English.
Old English Dialects
• The four main dialects of Old English:
•
•
•
•
Kentish
West Saxon
Mercian
Northambrian
Old English Dialects
• Kentish was the dialect of the Jutes who had settled around Kent.
• West Saxon was spoken south of the River Thames.
• Mercian was the dialect of the people who had lived in an area
extending from the Thames to the River Humber.
• Northumbrian was spoken by people living north of the River Humber.
Old English Dialects
• It is believed that there were more than these four dialects in use at the
time.
• Sparsity of materials makes it difficult to determine with confidence
that there were more than four dialects at the time.
• Written (not oral) materials have survived.
• Anglo-Saxon society was oral. (only 3m words have survived of that
era).
Old English Dialects
• Politics plays an important role in the definition of a particular variety
as a language.
• At this stage in the development of English the Anglo-Saxons were in
no sense a politically unified people.
• There was no conception that there was an English language spoken
by all inhabitants of the country.
West Saxon Dialect
• West Saxon dialect was the most prestigious dialect of OE.
• It is the predominant dialect found in surviving manuscripts.
• Why was the West Saxon dialect viewed as prestigious?
• Power.
West Saxon Dialect
• The language variety (or dialect) used by the group of people that has
a considerable degree of political and economic power will be viewed
as more prestigious than those varieties used by less powerful groups.
• The balance of power fluctuated among the seven heptarchies.
West Saxon Dialect
• In the seventh and eighth centuries, Northumbria dominated culturally
and politically.
• Its ruler, Oswald, was a Christian.
• Spread Christianity
• Founded churches and monasteries (places of learning)
West Saxon Dialect
• Effects of spreading Christianity on the development of English:
• Latin flourished again as monks engaged in scholarship to disseminate their
religion.
• Strong leadership and the success of the monasteries established
Northumbria’s political and cultural influence.
• This influence increased the status of Northumbria as an Old English
dialect.
• Viking raids put an end to this dominance.
West Saxon Dialect
• Mercia had some influence in the eighth century.
• Texts survived that were written in Latin and Anglo-Saxon.
• Mercian power was diminished at the hands of the Vikings.
West Saxon Dialect
• Wessex became the remaining Anglo-Saxon stronghold under the rule
of Alfred.
• Alfred managed to defeat the Danes (Vikings).
• Ability to read Latin declined.
• In order for people to understand the Royal legislation, they must know Latin
(language of officialdom).
• Alfred taught himself Latin.
• He translated Latin texts into Saxon (Old English).
West Saxon Dialect
• The West Saxon dialect attained prestige (owing to political and
cultural dominance).
• The translations made in West Saxon dialect contributed in making
this dialect established as a kind of literary standard.
Dialect Boundaries
• No clear dividing line between areas where different dialects where
spoken.
• There was a degree of overlap.
• Tests written by one person in Old English may reflect different
dialects. (why?)