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Key research themes
1. How did the Anglo-Norman language and its contact with Middle English influence linguistic change during and after the Norman Conquest?
This research theme focuses on the linguistic consequences of the Anglo-Norman/Middle English contact from 1066 until around 1500, investigating how bilingualism, language contact, and imperfect acquisition shaped both Anglo-Norman and English. It encompasses studies on syntactic changes, lexical borrowings, and sociolinguistic dynamics that contributed to the evolution of Middle English and the emergence of Anglo-French.
Key finding: The paper applies Schneider's Dynamic Model of contact to the Anglo-Norman and Middle English interaction, explaining the emergence of the insular Anglo-French variety and transfer of linguistic features into Middle English.... Read more
Key finding: This study identifies that the decline of the verb-second (V2) syntactic feature in Anglo-Norman was more rapid than in continental French varieties, attributing this difference to imperfect acquisition by native Middle... Read more
Key finding: Through quantitative lexical analysis across a range of Middle English texts, the study demonstrates extensive Anglo-Norman lexical infiltration beyond legal and administrative domains into everyday vocabulary by the late... Read more
Key finding: This paper situates the transformation from Old English to Middle English within the socio-political upheaval of the Norman Conquest, detailing phonological, orthographical, morpho-syntactical, lexical, and literary... Read more
Key finding: The research highlights the pivotal role of the Norman Conquest in transforming English through French lexical and semantic borrowings, administrative restructuring (e.g., the Domesday Book's linguistic influence), and... Read more
2. What was the sociolinguistic landscape of medieval England and how did multilingualism influence language use and development?
This theme explores medieval England's multilingual environment, focusing on the coexistence of English, Anglo-Norman French, Latin, Celtic languages, and Old Norse from 1100 to 1500. It analyzes linguistic repertoires shaped by social status, location, profession, and education, emphasizing how language choice reflected and reinforced medieval social hierarchies and cultural interactions.
Key finding: The chapter documents the complex multilingualism of medieval England, emphasizing how English, French, and Latin functioned in overlapping but distinctive social domains, while Celtic and Norse languages persisted in... Read more
Key finding: The study outlines Anglo-Norman rule as a period marked not only by conquest but also by significant bilingualism, intermarriage, and cultural exchange between Normans and native populations. It highlights linguistic... Read more
Key finding: Though focusing geographically adjacent to England, the paper provides insight into the fate of Norman dialects in the Channel Islands, which historically featured strong Norman-French linguistic traditions. It details their... Read more
Key finding: This article examines the endangered status of Channel Islands Norman languages, tracing their decline due to English acculturation and low traditional prestige. It further evaluates language preservation efforts supported by... Read more
3. How did the introduction of the printing press affect the Anglo-Norman and English language ecologies in late medieval Britain?
This theme investigates the technological and sociolinguistic impact of printing in Britain (1471-1510), particularly how printers' language choices influenced the prestige and dissemination of English over other languages such as Anglo-Norman French, Scots, Latin, and minority languages. It addresses how print culture reshaped linguistic hierarchies, contributing to the decline of Anglo-Norman and enhancing the standardization and status of English.
Key finding: The study reveals that early printers like William Caxton initially embraced multilingual publications including Latin, French, and English, but later centralized production on English, particularly the London dialect,... Read more