King Alfred’s English
Learning about the history of the English language has never been as entertaining as it is in King Alfred’s English!
One needs only to glance at Chaucer, or even further back at Beowulf, to see that English has not always been what we call English. Divided into the major epochs of the language, the retelling of history in King Alfred’s English will engross you.
This book also provides a guided tour of forces and events, conquerors and writers that have shaped, simplified, matured and expanded English into what it is today. After all, it was because of these forces that English became the first truly global language in history! Mingling history, religion, famous people, and linguistics, this text integrates the story of English into the narrative of Western History.
The capstone of the book is the story of how we got the Bible in English and the Bible’s influence upon our language. As you read, you’ll discover answers to questions like the following:
- What were the driving ideas behind the Reformation?
- Are the New Testament documents really reliable and how do they compare to other ancient manuscripts?
- Why was translating the Bible into English punishable by death, and what does all that have to do with the history of English?
You can view a sample of this book here.
