A Brief Overview of British Literary Periods

Old English (Anglo-Saxon) Period (450–1066)

 Old English, Latin Origin
• Old English – the earliest form of the English language

• English vocabulary has never been purely Anglo-Saxon - there was also
linguistic interchange between Britain, Germanic and Roman people
• a significant number of Latin words have been in daily use, some of them
assimilated into English
• they include words for plants and animals (e.g. pea, cat), food and drink (e.g.
butter, wine), household objects (e.g. cup, candle), items of clothing (e.g. belt,
sock), settlements, houses and building materials (e.g. street, wall, tile)

• For example, the Latin root aud means «to hear,» which forms the basis for the
English words «auditorium» and «audience,» both of which have to do with
listening.
 Latin Phrases

• Et cetera: And the rest of such things: Commonly abbreviated to «etc.» and used at the end of a list to show that there are more items,
but they are too similar or numerous to name them all.
• Vice versa: The other way around: Vice versa is a Latin phrase that literally means in a turned position. In English, it is commonly used
to indicate that two things are interchangeable.
• Alibi: Elsewhere: The word alibi is a Latin phrase that simply means elsewhere, which will make sense to all you crime drama addicts
out there who are familiar with the term as used by police, investigators, and other law enforcement professionals. Nowadays, alibi
commonly refers to evidence that someone did not commit a (usually) criminal act because he or she was elsewhere at the time the act
was committed.
• Bonus: Good: Bonus, from the Latin adjective bonus, which means good, refers to any number of good things in its current English
usage. Most often, bonus refers to an extra sum of money or reward from one’s employer for good performance, which of course is
always a good thing.
• Carpe diem: Seize the day: A common phrase with motivational speakers and go-getters, carpe diem is a Latin phrase that means seize
the day, made popular by the Roman poet Horace. It is usually used to motivate others to make the most of the present and stop
worrying about the future.
• E.g.: For example: Commonly confused with the similar Latin term i.e., e.g. stands for the Latin phrase exempli gratia, meaning for the
sake of example. In English, it is used to introduce a list of examples in place of the phrase such as.
• Extra: In addition to: A common English adjective and prefix, extra is a Latin preposition that means outside or in addition. In
English, extra is an adjective, adverb, or prefix that means additional, in addition, or to a greater extent.
• I.e.: That is: Sometimes mistaken for the similar abbreviation e.g., i.e. stands for the Latin phrase id est, which literally translates to
that is. It is most often used to add information that states something in different words or to give a more specific example: Most of the
puppies (i.e., four of the six) found homes over the weekend.
• Multi: Many: Multi is the plural form of the Latin adjective multus, meaning many. In English, it is used as a prefix to describe
something that contains more than one of something else (e.g., multicolored, multifaceted, multicultural, etc.).
• Versus: Against: This common Latin phrase was originally a preposition meaning against or toward. In English, versus is used to
signify opposing forces or oppositions and contrasts.
 Veni, Vidi, Vici
«I came, I saw, I conquered»

• One of the best known and most frequently quoted

Latin expression, veni, vidi, vici may be found
hundreds of time throughout the centuries used as an
expression of triumph. The words are said to have
been used by Caesar as he was enjoying a triumph.
 Omnia mea mecum porto!
”All that is mine I carry with me”.

A thoughtful sentence from ancient Greece that might inspire

us still today.

The quote from Cicero also translates into ’My wisdom is

my greatest wealth’. In the course of a life time, material
possessions may be lost but the knowledge, experience and
memories remain. And these non-material assets may be the
really true things to treasure.
• Old English had a greater proportion of strong verbs (irregular verbs in
contemporary grammars) than does Modern English. Many verbs that were
strong in Old English are weak (regular) verbs in Modern English

 e.g., Old English helpan - present infinitive of the verb help;

 healp, past singular;
 hulpon, past plural;
 holpen, past participle
• versus Modern English help, helped
 What is the etymology of definite article “the”?

• The word «the» is one of the most common words in English. It is our only definite
article. Nouns in English are preceded by the definite article when the speaker
believes that the listener already knows what he is referring to.

• The and that are common developments from the Old English system.

• Old English had a definite article se - in the masculine gender, seo - feminine, and
þæt - neuter.

• In Middle English these had all merged into þe, the ancestor of the Modern English
word the.
 Middle English Period (1066–1500)
Geoffrey Chaucer (born c. 1342/43, London?, The Canterbury Tales
England—died October 25, 1400, London) It is a collection of 24 stories told by a group of 30
- the outstanding English poet before Shakespeare pilgrims who travel from Southwark to Canterbury to
and “the first finder of our language.” visit the shrine of Thomas Beckett. Chaucer did not
complete the work before he died.
• William Shakespeare (26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) He wrote mainly tragedies until 1608, among them Hamlet,
was an English playwright, poet, and actor, widely Romeo and Juliet, Othello, King Lear, and Macbeth
regarded as the greatest writer in the English language
and the world’s greatest dramatist.
• We probably don’t spell Shakespeare’s name correctly—but, then again,
neither did he. Sources from William Shakespeare’s lifetime spell his last name in more than 80 different ways,
ranging from “Shappere” to “Shaxberd.” In the handful of signatures that have survived, the Bard never spelled his own name
“William Shakespeare,” using variations or abbreviations such as “Willm Shakp,” “Willm Shakspere” and “William
Shakspeare” instead.
• Some people think Shakespeare was a fraud. Some theorists have suggested that one or several
authors wishing to conceal their true identity used the person of William Shakespeare as a front. Proposed candidates include
Edward De Vere, Francis Bacon, Christopher Marlowe and Mary Sidney Herbert.
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUHEPo_g0AQ
• Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas,
Charles John Huffam Dickens - February 1812 – 9 June 1870 was commonly known as A Christmas Carol, is a novella by
an English writer and social critic. Charles Dickens, first published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1843
Novels: Oliver Twist, David Copperfield, A Christmas Carol and illustrated by John Leech.
• Lewis Carroll
• Charles Lutwidge Dodgson (/ˈlʌtwɪdʒ ˈdɒdʒsən/; 27
January 1832 – 14 January 1898), better known by his
pen name Lewis Carroll, was an English writer of
children’s fiction, notably
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (commonly shortened to Alice in
Wonderland) is an 1865 novel by English author Lewis Carroll (the
pseudonym of Charles Dodgson). It tells of a young girl named Alice, who
falls through a rabbit hole into a subterranean fantasy world populated by
peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures. It is considered to be one of the best
examples of the literary nonsense genre.
A page from the original manuscript copy of Alice’s Adventures Alice Liddell, aged 7, photographed by Charles
Under Ground, 1864, held in the British Library Dodgson (Lewis Carroll) in 1860
• Edward Lear There was an Old Man of Dumbree,
• (12 May 1812, Holloway – 29 January 1888, Sanremo) was an Who taught little Owls to drink Tea;
For he said, «To eat mice
English artist, illustrator, musician, author and poet, now known
Is not proper or nice,»
mostly for his literary nonsense in poetry and prose and That amiable Man of Dumbree.
especially his limericks, a form he popularised.
(Edward Lear)
Жил был старый учитель на Крите,
Он совят приучал к чаепитью.
«Я внушу малышам
Отвращенье к мышам», -
Говорил этот славный учитель.
(Эдвард Лир)

owl [aul] – совы, филин

proper [‘prɔpə] – 1. правильный, надлежащий, подходящий 2. присущий,
свойственный
amiable [‘eɪmɪəbl] – дружелюбный, любезный
• Thomas Michael Bond CBE (13 January 1926 – 27
June 2017) was a British author. He is best known for Original 1972 Paddington Bear
a series of fictional stories for children, featuring the
character of Paddington Bear.
• J. K. Rowling born 31 July 1965 Harry Potter is a series of seven fantasy novels
• Joanne Rowling is a British author, philanthropist, film producer,
television producer, and screenwriter. She is best known for writing UK. PLATFORM 9 3/4 FROM HARRY POTTER FILM AT
the Harry Potter fantasy series, which has won multiple awards and PADDINGTON STATION ,LONDON
sold more than 500 million copies, becoming the
best-selling book series in history
• Pamela Lyndon Travers (born Helen Lyndon Goff; 9
August 1899 – 23 April 1996) was an Australian-British
writer who spent most of her career in England. She is
best known for the Mary Poppins series of books, which
feature the magical nanny Mary Poppins.
Mary Poppins is a magical English nanny, she blows in on the east wind
and arrives at the Banks home at Number 17 Cherry Tree Lane, London,
where she is given charge of the Banks children and teaches them valuable
lessons with a magical touch.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-3jsfXDZLIY