Studies in English Medieval Language and Literature Recording English, Researching Transforming

This book is on English historical linguistics. It deals with the history of sounds and spellings (e.g. Old English runes), words and phrases, conjunctions, relative clauses, impersonal and passive constructions. It sheds light on the use of English dialects in literature, the importance of J.R.R. Tolkien, and Chinese translations of Beowulf. This book presents new research results in English historical linguistics. Section I deals with sounds and spellings, e.g. the role of writing in language change, Pre-Old English sound changes and their reflection in runic inscriptions – plus the first complete list of OE runic inscriptions – and with velar fricatives in Middle English. Section II contains studies on words and phrases (e.g. the OE terms for the chain-mail coat), shell nouns, and secondary agent constructions. Section III highlights the developments of because, relative clauses, impersonal and passive constructions. Section IV analyzes the role of dialects in literature (e.g. 16th and 18th centuries). Section V sheds light on the use of early literature by later authors (e.g. J.R.R. Tolkien) and on Chinese translations of Beowulf.