Introduction to Old English

Peter S. Baker is Professor of English, specializing in medieval literature and the history of the English language, at the University of Virginia. His previous books include editions of Byrhthferth’s Enchiridion (with Michael Lapidge, 1995) and The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: A Collaborative Edition.

• Preface xii Preface to the Second Edition xiiiPreface to the Third Edition xivHow to use this book xv1 The Anglo-Saxons and Their Language 11.1 Who were they? 11.2 Where did their language come from? 31.3 What was Old English like? 41.4 Old English dialects 102 Pronunciation 112.1 Quick start 112.2 More about vowels 162.3 More about c and g 182.4 Syllable length 202.5 Accentuation 202.6 On-line pronunciation practice 212.7 Summary 213 Basic Grammar: A Review 223.1 Parts of speech 223.2 Phrases 283.3 Clauses 293.4 Elements of the sentence or clause 304 Case 344.1 What is case? 344.2 Uses of the cases 355 Pronouns 415.1 Quick start 415.2 More about personal and demonstrative pronouns 445.3 Interrogative pronouns 455.4 Indefinite pronouns 465.5 Relative pronouns 475.6 Reflexive pronouns 485.7 Reciprocal pronouns 486 Nouns 506.1 Quick start 506.2 More about strong nouns 576.3 Minor declensions 607 Verbs 647.1 Quick start 647.2 More about endings 687.3 More about weak verbs 697.4 More about strong verbs 737.5 Verbs with weak presents and strong pasts 797.6 More about preterite-present verbs 807.8 Negation 827.9 The verbals 837.10 The subjunctive 858 Adjectives 898.1 Quick start 898.2 Strong adjectives 918.3 Weak adjectives 928.4 Comparison of adjectives 938.5 The adjective in the noun phrase 949 Numerals 969.1 Quick start 969.2 Cardinal numbers 979.3 Ordinal numbers 9810 Adverbs, Conjunctions and Prepositions 9910.1 Quick start 9910.2 Adverbs 9910.3 Conjunctions 10110.4 Correlation 10210.5 Prepositions 10411 Concord 10611.1 Quick start 10611.2 Subject and verb 10711.3 Pronoun and antecedent 11011.4 Noun and modifiers 11111.5 Bad grammar? 11212 Word-order 11512.1 Quick start 11512.2 Subject–Verb 11512.3 Verb–Subject 11712.4 Subject . . . Verb 11812.5 Correlation 11912.6 Anticipation 12112.7 Periphrastic verbs 12113 Metre 12313.1 Alliteration 12413.2 Rhythm 12614 Poetic Style 13314.1 Vocabulary 13414.2 Variation 13714.3 Formulas 14015 The Grammar of Poetry 14615.1 Inflections 14615.2 Syntax 14716 Old English in its Material Context 15616.1 Manuscripts 15616.2 Runes 16316.3 Other inscriptions 167Appendix A Common Spelling Variants 169A.1 Vowels of accented syllables 169A.2 Unaccented syllables 170A.3 Consonants 171Appendix B Phonetic Symbols and Terms 172B.1 International Phonetic Alphabet symbols 172B.2 Phonetic terms 174Appendix C Further Reading 175C.1 General works 175C.2 Grammars 175C.3 Dictionaries and concordances 176C.4 Bibliographies 176C.5 Old English texts and translations 177C.6 Literary criticism; sources and analogues; metre 178C.7 History and culture 178C.8 Manuscripts, art and archaeology 178C.9 On-line aids 179C.10 On-line amusements 180Anthology 1811 The Fall of Adam and Eve 1812 The Life of St Æthelthryth 1833 Cynewulf and Cyneheard 1864 The Martyrdom of Ælfheah 1885 Sermo Lupi ad Anglos 1916 King Alfred’s Preface to Gregory’s Pastoral Care 1977 Ohthere and Wulfstan 2028 The Story of Cædmon 2109 Boethius on Fame 21510 A Selection of Riddles 22311 The Battle of Maldon 22712 The Wanderer 24013 The Dream of the Rood 24514 The Battle of Finnesburh 25115 Waldere 25316 Wulf and Eadwacer 25717 The Wife’s Lament 25918 The Husband’s Message 26219 Judith 264Textual Notes 275Glossary 283References 387Index 394

“Enhanced with new anthology readings, common spelling variants, phonetic symbols and terms, a glossary, references, and a comprehensive index, "Introduction To Old English" is an ideal student textbook and highly recommended addition to academic library instructional reference collections.”  (Midwest Book Review, 1 May 2012)"Excellent introduction designed to provide reading knowledge ... He [Baker] constructs the book to encourage beginning students to start translating almost immediately" (The Medieval Review, June 2008)"The fruit of years of sensitive, thoughtful and student-responsive teaching. [...] this work is a huge step forward in imaginative course design. It is accessible in manner and genuinely tries to address the needs of the modern student and teacher, taking them through a course step by step. [...] by far the best attempt yet to introduce Old English, and I enthusiastically recommend it to members." (TOEBI Newsletter)"Peter Baker's excellent new book, a combined grammar and reader, deserves to find a central place in the university teaching of Old English. It is unabashedly designed to be accessible to absolute beginners, but students who progress attentively through the whole book will in fact find themselves in command of a great deal of what makes Old English language and literature tick. [...] These chapters [on 'Metre', 'Poetic Style', 'The Grammar of Poetry', and 'Reading Old English Manuscripts'] constitute the real novelty of the book in their lucid summation of some essential truths that have rarely if ever been to clearly set out for beginners; the sections on poetry in particular deserve to be read by all students beginning the translation of Old English for the first time." (Notes and Queries)"The new edition is a solid tool that both an independent student and a classroom full of students will find useful. The book's approach is balanced. It includes just the right amount of explanatory text ... while also offering ... grammar tools and exercises. The selection of readings is varied and exemplary. Much thought was put into the choice, quantity, and order of the other texts in the anthology. I would certainly recommend this book for an introductory course in Old English.... Baker's new edition is a pleasure to read and would be a pleasure to use in the classroom." (Comitatus)