Invitation Old English: Amazon.de: Bruce Mitchell: Englische Bücher

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Erscheinungstermin: 24. November 1994

In the six centuries before the Norman Conquest, the Anglo--Saxons set their mark on England: the origins of much that is distinctive in modern English culture may be found in the period, most notably the English language itself. This outstanding book is an introduction to Old English language and literature set within the context of Anglo--Saxon history and society --so arranged that the one constantly illuminates the other. Parts I, II, and V aim to provide the reader with an understanding of, and in particular the ability to read, Old English. Drawing on over four decades of teaching experience, the author proceeds in clear, manageable steps. He stresses the a Englishnessa of Old English, guides the reader through possible difficulties, and illustrates each point with examples. Part III presents a wide--ranging account of Anglo--Saxon England. A description of the literature is followed by a brief history of the period, made vivid through a series of extracts from the Anglo--Saxon Chronicle. The author draws on the latest archaeological and historical research to describe arts, crafts, and occupations, from weapons, coins, textiles, and jewellery to ship--building, architecture, and sculpture. In his account of town and country life, of warriors, farmers, and entertainers, Bruce Mitchell shows the impact of Christianity on a heroic society, in which both men and women played important roles. This impact created a tension that is frequently apparent in a representative selection of fifty--one prose and verse texts provided in Part IV. Each of the texts is introduced and placed in context, and footnote annotations explain points of difficulty. The book is illustrated with maps, line drawings, and photographs. It has a guide to further reading and full indexes, and concludes with a glossary tailored to meet the needs of those encountering Old English for the first time. The authora s aim is to allow the reader both to understand Anglo--Saxon society and to experience the richness of its literature and culture. He will be found to have succeeded.

#outer_postBodyPS { display: none; } #psGradient { display: none; } #psPlaceHolder { display: none; } #psExpand { display: none; } In the six centuries before the Norman Conquest, the Anglo--Saxons set their mark on England: the origins of much that is distinctive in modern English culture may be found in the period, most notably the English language itself. This outstanding book is an introduction to Old English language and literature set within the context of Anglo--Saxon history and society --so arranged that the one constantly illuminates the other. Parts I, II, and V aim to provide the reader with an understanding of, and in particular the ability to read, Old English. Drawing on over four decades of teaching experience, the author proceeds in clear, manageable steps. He stresses the a Englishnessa of Old English, guides the reader through possible difficulties, and illustrates each point with examples. Part III presents a wide--ranging account of Anglo--Saxon England. A description of the literature is followed by a brief history of the period, made vivid through a series of extracts from the Anglo--Saxon Chronicle. The author draws on the latest archaeological and historical research to describe arts, crafts, and occupations, from weapons, coins, textiles, and jewellery to ship--building, architecture, and sculpture. In his account of town and country life, of warriors, farmers, and entertainers, Bruce Mitchell shows the impact of Christianity on a heroic society, in which both men and women played important roles. This impact created a tension that is frequently apparent in a representative selection of fifty--one prose and verse texts provided in Part IV. Each of the texts is introduced and placed in context, and footnote annotations explain points of difficulty. The book is illustrated with maps, line drawings, and photographs. It has a guide to further reading and full indexes, and concludes with a glossary tailored to meet the needs of those encountering Old English for the first time. The authora s aim is to allow the reader both to understand Anglo--Saxon society and to experience the richness of its literature and culture. He will be found to have succeeded.

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"An Invitation to Old English and Anglo--Saxon England is a scholarly yet popular work that introduces us to Old English and its historical and social environment." History of Language

Synopsis

In the six centuries before the Norman Conquest, the Anglo-Saxons set their mark on England: the origins of much that is distinctive in modern English culture may be found in the period, most notably the English language itself. This outstanding book is an introduction to Old English language and literature set within the context of Anglo-Saxon history and society -so arranged that the one constantly illuminates the other. Parts I, II, and V aim to provide the reader with an understanding of, and in particular the ability to read, Old English. Drawing on over four decades of teaching experience, the author proceeds in clear, manageable steps. He stresses the 'Englishness' of Old English, guides the reader through possible difficulties, and illustrates each point with examples. Part III presents a wide-ranging account of Anglo-Saxon England. A description of the literature is followed by a brief history of the period, made vivid through a series of extracts from the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle.

The author draws on the latest archaeological and historical research to describe arts, crafts, and occupations, from weapons, coins, textiles, and jewellery to ship-building, architecture, and sculpture.In his account of town and country life, of warriors, farmers, and entertainers, Bruce Mitchell shows the impact of Christianity on a heroic society, in which both men and women played important roles. This impact created a tension that is frequently apparent in a representative selection of fifty-one prose and verse texts provided in Part IV. Each of the texts is introduced and placed in context, and footnote annotations explain points of difficulty.The book is illustrated with maps, line drawings, and photographs. It has a guide to further reading and full indexes, and concludes with a glossary tailored to meet the needs of those encountering Old English for the first time. The author's aim is to allow the reader both to understand Anglo-Saxon society and to experience the richness of its literature and culture. He will be found to have succeeded.

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4.0 von 5 Sternen Who's Afraid of Beowulf? 12. M�rz 2000

Von Douglas Harper

Format:Taschenbuch

If you're fascinated by English literature and language in general, as I was, but intimidated by the obscure vocabulary and inflections of "Old Anguish," this is your book. It's not a "for Dummies" manual, but it's more reader-friendly than a college text. It introduces all the fundamentals of the language, along with an overview of the culture that produced the tongue. It overlaps the more formal text, "Guide to Old English" (by Mitchell & Robinson) in some places word for word, but "Invitation" is much more chatty and fun. Mitchell's love for Old English is infectious, as is his conviction that it's not as hard to learn as it looks. By the time I was finished, I had a good beginner's command of Old English and a thirst to learn more.

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5.0 von 5 Sternen An outstanding book. 15. Juni 1999

Von Ein Kunde

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As a student of various languages, but a newcomer to the study of Old English, I found this book an unintimidating but, nevertheless, comprehensive and in-depth introduction to the language. Mr. Mitchell begins by tracing the origins of our erstwhile obscure tongue, which has attained the status of a latter-day Latin in terms of its widespread use by native and non-native speakers alike in numerous environments. Unfortunately, many or most native speakers of English have little or no knowledge of the language in its earlier forms. I would recommend this book to anyone wishing to enrich his own knowledge of the language through the study of its roots. It is a study not only of language, but history as well, a point which Mr. Mitchell highlights in such a way as to make this "dead" language come alive. The author grabs the attention of the reader from the first page, more than I thought possible in a didactic book which, of necessity, must teach the rudimentary elements of grammar, and manages to keep it even through the introduction of paradigms. This is in part due to his success in introducing these paradigms in the context of the language in use, as opposed to in uninterrupted pages of dry, grammatical tables which I have found in many other books. Already in the foreword, Mr. Mitchell has begun to give the reader a feel for the language by quoting simple passages and providing literal translations for them. An excellent introduction, and invitation, to a fascinating language, foreign and yet strangely familiar.

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Amazon.com: 4.6 von 5 Sternen 7 Rezensionen

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4.0 von 5 Sternen Who's Afraid of Beowulf? 12. M�rz 2000

Von Douglas Harper - Ver�ffentlicht auf Amazon.com

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38 von 38 Kunden fanden die folgende Rezension hilfreich

5.0 von 5 Sternen An outstanding book. 15. Juni 1999

Von Ein Kunde - Ver�ffentlicht auf Amazon.com

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4.0 von 5 Sternen A really interesting book! 11. Oktober 2003

Von Jesse Williamson - Ver�ffentlicht auf Amazon.com

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It's been hard work, but I've put in some elbow grease and made it.

A very readable introduction to Old English language, culture, art, and society. Nearly every aspect of Anglo-Saxon life is touched on, supported with carefully cited sources (usually primary), and a good selection of illustrations. The author's sincere passion for Old English always comes through, and he's very good about encouraging the student. When things are going to be a little hard, you're warned that you've got to just slog through it, and you are guided down the path.

Another nice thing about this book that should be pointed out is that it has a lot to offer people who aren't especially interested in learning Old English, but instead more engaged by the culture and life of the Anglo-Saxon people. Mitchell's expositions are fascinating and feature copious examples from both academic literature and primary sources. You don't need to know a lick of Old English to learn a lot from this book!

I would have appreciated a few touches, however. My primary complaint is that the translations often weren't literal enough. While this made them readable, I had to very frequently second-guess the translations while trying my hand at my own, and would have liked more chances to test my work directly to be sure I was on track. I'm not convinced that, especially in the discussions of language directly, I wouldn't have had an easier time with klutzier and more literal examples.

I'd also like to see all-color plates, in a future edition.

All said and done, this was an immensly satisfying process-- I'm not adept at Old English (one never learns a language all at once anyway, and let's face it: how on Earth do you get any practice if you're not in school? Nevermind what the Masters at Oxford do deciding just /how/ to inflect a long-dead tongue), but with every increase in comprehension I felt my understanding of both modern English and German considerably enhanced.

Above all, this was for me-- for now a hobbyist-- exactly the thing I wanted for some self-study. It might be that for you, too. I assure you that the first time you get a snip from Beowulf just right, it will put a big smile in your heart.

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