英语简史-A BRIEF HISTORY OF ENGLISH教案资料.pptVIP

The Celts/Pre-Roman The island we know as England was invaded by two groups of people: 1. Celts: known as Bythons (now spelled Britons) and 2. Gaels (who settled on the island now known as Ireland). The Celts were Pagans and their religion was known as “animism” a Latin word for “spirit.” Druids were their priests and when clans had disputes, they intervened to settle them. Roman Occupation Hadrian’s Wall Important Events During Roman Occupation Julius Caesar begins invasion/occupation in 55 B.C. Occupation completed by Claudius in 1st Century A.D. Romans “leave” in 407 A.D. because Visigoths attack Rome (this leaves Britain defenseless) St. Augustine (the “other” St. Augustine) lands in Kent in 597 and converts King Aethelbert (King of Kent, the oldest Saxon settlement) to Christianity; becomes first Archbishop of Caterbury The Most Important Results of the Roman Occupation Established camps that eventually became towns. Maintained relative peace. Latin heavily influenced the English language. Christianity begins to replace Paganism, especially after St. Augustine converts King Aethelbert in 597. The Anglo-Saxon Period410-787 A.D. Anglo-Saxons-Jutes Important Events in the (First) Anglo-Saxon Period 410-450 Angles and Saxons invade from Baltic shores of Germany, and Jutes invade from Jutland peninsula in Denmark, thus driving out the Celts. Nine Anglo-Saxon Kingdoms eventually become the Anglo-Saxon heptarchy (England not unified) or “Seven Sovereign Kingdoms”. King Alfred “the Great” managed peace against the Danes for about a generation, until William of Normandy defeated them in 1066. Anglo-Saxon Literature Germanic ethos that celebrated the warrior and his exploits. Most storytelling was oral. Old English Poetry became distinctive... Alliteration- repetition of consonant sounds Kenning- a metaphor expressed as a compound noun - “whale-path” for the seaCaesura- a break or pause in poetry Caesura- a break or pause in poetry RUNES: Anglo-Saxon alphabet/OLD E