The History of English Podcast Episode 112: Northern Messenger
Jun 8, 2018
This podcast explores Edward I's failed plans to conquer Scotland and the rebellion that ensued, the Scottish uprising led by William Wallace and the Battle of Falkirk, the development of Scots as the official language of the Scottish government, the origins and characteristics of the Cursor Mundi poem in Northern England, the components and historical significance of scythes, the influence of Norse words on the Northern English dialect, and the variations between Northern and Southern English dialects.
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Northern Dialect Distinct By 1300
- The northern dialect around 1300 differed markedly from southern English in vocabulary, pronunciation, and grammar.
- The Cursor Mundi gives the first substantial evidence of these northern features and their Norse influence.
Cursor Mundi Reveals Northern Speech
- Cursor Mundi is a long northern Middle English poem that survives in multiple copies and reveals regional speech.
- The poet explicitly states he translated southern material into northern speech so northerners could understand it.
Strong Norse Imprint In The North
- Northern texts show roughly twice the proportion of Old Norse words as southern copies.
- Norse pronouns they/them/there and harder consonants (k, sk) are prominent northern features.
