INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION TO OLD ENGLISH INTRODUCTION TO TO OLD ENGLISH THIRD EDITION “Peter Baker’s excellent new book, a combined grammar and reader, deserves to fi nd 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 fi nd themselves in command of a great deal of what makes Old English language and literature tick.” Notes and Queries “ e new edition is a solid tool that both an independent student and a classroom full of students will fi nd useful. e book’s approach is balanced. It includes just the right amount of explanatory text … while also off ering … grammar tools and exercises. e 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 “ is is a truly outstanding textbook for today’s student of Old English. Written in lucid and friendly prose, Baker brings the language to life in a manner that will inspire students.” Elaine Treharne, University of Leicester Introduction to Old English is a leading text designed to help students engage with Old English literature for the fi rst time. e new third edition builds on the success of previous editions and includes numerous chapter updates, as well as expanded coverage of Old English manuscripts, runes, and other inscriptions. e book’s rich pedagogy includes basic grammar reviews at the beginning of each major chapter, covering the basics of Old English. Other features include “minitexts” for practice in reading the language, and a detailed introduction to meter and poetic style to ease the transition from prose to poetry. Additions to the anthology for this new edition include King Alfred’s Preface to Pope Gregory the First’s sixth-century Pastoral Care, selections from the Old English Riddles, and the epic fragments e Battle of Finnesburh and Waldere. THIRD e third edition of Introduction to Old English confi rms its reputation as an essential text EDITION PETER S. BAKER for all students encountering the language for the fi rst time. BAKER 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 INTRODUCTION of Byrhthferth’s Enchiridion (with Michael Lapidge, 1995) and e Anglo-Saxon Chronicle: A Collaborative Edition. TO OLD ENGLISH ISBN 978-0-470-65984-7 Cover image: e Strickland Brooch. Anglo-Saxon metalwork, mid-ninth century. Image © akg-images / Erich Lessing THIRD EDITION Cover design by: Richard Boxall Design Associates 9780470659847_1_pre.pm5 4 24/10/11, 15:58 Introduction to Old English 9780470659847_1_pre.pm5 1 24/10/11, 15:57 Praise for previous editions ‘Baker’s Introduction is the kind of book that students of Old English – and their teachers – have been waiting for for a long time.’ Hugh Magennis, Queen’s University Belfast ‘This is a truly outstanding textbook for today’s student of Old English. Writ- ten in lucid and friendly prose, Baker brings the language to life in a manner that will inspire students.’ Elaine Treharne, University of Leicester ‘Peter Baker’s Introduction to Old English offers an innovative combination of the traditional and the cutting edge. Beginning with the basics of the language, the chapters proceed through intelligently paced levels so that by the end the user is reading the most sophisticated literature in Old English.’ Daniel G. Donoghue, Harvard University ‘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 unabash- edly designed to be accessible to absoluteAllie 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 . 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 exem- plary. 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 intro- ductory course in Old English . Baker’s new edition is a pleasure to read and would be a pleasure to use in the classroom.’ Comitatus ‘Excellent introduction designed to provide reading knowledge . He [Baker] constructs the book to encourage beginning students to start translating almost immediately.’ The Medieval Review 9780470659847_1_pre.pm5 2 24/10/11, 15:57 Introduction to Old English Third Edition Peter S. Baker A John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., Publication 9780470659847_1_pre.pm5 3 24/10/11, 15:58 This third edition first published 2012 © 2012 John Wiley & Sons Ltd Edition history: Blackwell (1e 2003 and 2e 2007) Wiley-Blackwell is an imprint of John Wiley & Sons, formed by the merger of Wiley’s global Scientific, Technical and Medical business with Blackwell Publishing. Registered Office John Wiley & Sons Ltd, The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, UK Editorial Offices 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148-5020, USA 9600 Garsington Road, Oxford, OX4 2DQ, UK The Atrium, Southern Gate, Chichester, West Sussex, PO19 8SQ, UK For details of our global editorial offices, for customer services, and for information about how to apply for permission to reuse the copyright material in this book please see our website at www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell. The right of Peter S. Baker to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted in accordance with the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, except as permitted by the UK Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, without the prior permission of the publisher. Wiley also publishes its books in a variety of electronic formats. Some content that appears in print may not be available in electronic books. Designations used by companies to distinguish their products are often claimed as trademarks. All brand names and product names used in this book are trade names, service marks, trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. The publisher is not associated with any product or vendor mentioned in this book. This publication is designed to provide accurate and authoritative information in regard to the subject matter covered. It is sold on the understanding that the publisher is not engaged in rendering professional services. If professional advice or other expert assistance is required, the services of a competent professional should be sought. Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Baker, Peter S. (Peter Stuart), 1952– Introduction to Old English / Peter S. Baker. – 3rd ed. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN: 978-0-470-65984-7 (pbk.) 1. English language–Old English, ca. 450–1100. 2. English language–Old English, ca. 450-1100–Grammar. I. Title. PE135.B34 2012 429′.82421–dc23 2011035196 A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library. Set in 10/12.5pt Minion by Graphicraft Limited Hong Kong 1 2012 9780470659847_1_pre.pm5 4 24/10/11, 15:58 Contents Preface xii Preface to the Second Edition xiii Preface to the Third Edition xiv How to use this book xv 1 The Anglo-Saxons and Their Language 1 1.1 Who were they? 1 1.2 Where did their language come from? 3 1.3 What was Old English like? 4 1.3.1 The Indo-European languages 5 1.3.2 The Germanic languages 6 1.3.3 West Germanic and Low German 7 1.3.4 Old and Modern English 9 1.4 Old English dialects 10 2 Pronunciation 11 2.1 Quick start 11 2.1.1 Vowels and diphthongs 12 2.1.2 Consonants 14 2.1.3 Sermonette 16 2.2 More about vowels 16 2.2.1 Short a, æ and ea 16 2.2.2 I-mutation 17 2.2.3 Silent e; o for u18 9780470659847_1_pre.pm5 5 19/10/11, 9:27 vi Contents 2.3 More about c and g 18 2.4 Syllable length 20 2.5 Accentuation 20 2.6 On-line pronunciation practice 21 2.7 Summary 21 3 Basic Grammar: A Review 22 3.1 Parts of speech 22 3.1.1 Nouns 23 3.1.2 Pronouns 23 3.1.3 Verbs 24 3.1.4 Adjectives 26 3.1.5 Adverbs 27 3.1.6 Prepositions 27 3.1.7 Conjunctions 27 3.1.8 Interjections 28 3.2 Phrases 28 3.3 Clauses 29 3.4 Elements of the sentence or clause 30 3.4.1 Subject 30 3.4.2 Verb 31 3.4.3 Object 32 3.4.4 Complement 33 3.4.5 Predicate 33 4 Case 34 4.1 What is case? 34 4.2 Uses of the cases 35 4.2.1 Nominative 36 4.2.2 Accusative 36 4.2.3 Genitive 37 4.2.4 Dative 38 4.2.5 Instrumental 39 5 Pronouns 41 5.1 Quick start 41 5.1.1 Personal pronouns 41 5.1.2 Possessive adjectives 43 5.1.3 Demonstrative pronouns 44 9780470659847_1_pre.pm5 6 19/10/11, 9:27 Contents vii 5.2 More about personal and demonstrative pronouns 44 5.2.1 The dual number 44 5.2.2 Common spelling variants 45 5.3 Interrogative pronouns 45 5.4 Indefinite pronouns 46 5.5 Relative pronouns 47 5.6 Reflexive pronouns 48 5.7 Reciprocal