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The Adventure of English
Where did English come from, and how did it develop into the premier language of culture, commerce, and diplomacy around the globe? The answer involves bloody conquest, political intrigue, religion, poetry, and a dictionary by Samuel Johnson. Join British author Melvyn Bragg and a host of experts as they share the life story of a remarkable language. Seen on the History Channel networks. SDH subtitles; 8 episodes; approx. 405 min. on 4 DVDs plus viewer’s guide.
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Disc 1
Episode 1
Where did English come from? Brought to England by invading Germanic tribes beginning in the 5th century, Anglo-Saxon displaced the Celtic language and took root. It found its greatest expression in the epic poem Beowulf and its staunchest champion in Alfred I—the only English monarch ever honored with the epithet "Great."
Episode 2
After the Norman Conquest of 1066, England became a bilingual land—French for the rulers, English for the common folk. How did French affect the development of English? Why didn’t we all end up speaking French? And how did Chaucer’s classic Canterbury Tales—written in Middle English—influence what we read today?
Disc 2
Episode 3
Until the 16th century, Latin was the language of religion in England. But revolutionaries such as William Tyndale dared to translate the Bible into English so that everyone—not just the clergy—could read and interpret it. The movement changed history and profoundly affected the language we now use.
Episode 4
In the 15th and 16th centuries, English positively exploded with new words from faraway lands, imported by a bustling maritime trade. The result was a rich, fertile language cultivated by courtier poets like Sir Philip Sidney and brought to bloom by the Renaissance playwrights—most notably, William Shakespeare.
Disc 3
Episode 5
England exported its language to the New World, where it underwent further transformation. Absorbing words and expressions from French, Spanish, Native American tongues, and African dialects—as well as creating some colorful ones of its own—American English grew vigorously.
Episode 6
During the Enlightenment, advances in science, technology, and commerce brought a flood of new words into the language. Subsequent efforts to codify and standardize English included Samuel Johnson’s monumental dictionary and Thomas Sheridan’s elocution exercises, aimed at eliminating regional and class-based distinctions in speech.
Disc 4
Episode 7
Was the English language an instrument of colonial oppression, or the means to introduce ideas such as freedom and democracy? The British colonies of India, the Caribbean, and Australia yielded different answers—and wholly different English dialects.
Episode 8
Thanks largely to the overwhelming economic, military, and cultural influence of the United States during the 20th century, English has become a truly global tongue, used by about a third of the world’s population as either a first or second language. How does English continue to evolve today? |
- "Architects of the Language" biographies
- Exclusive web extras
- Viewer’s guide
| Packaging: Thinpak
Run Time: 405 minutes
Format: Widescreen
Number of discs: 4
Language: English
Subtitles: N/A
Color or B&W: Color
CC: No
SDH: Yes
Region Code: 1
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Rating: N/A | | "It's high-minded and educational, but brings its lessons down to earth and can even be fun."—DVD Verdict | | Melvyn Bragg, British author and the featured host in this presentation, won the Best Presenter (Factual) Award at the Royal Television Society Awards (2004). Bragg has won numerous other awards during his career, including 3 BAFTA wins, 6 BAFTA nominations, and 1 Broadcasting Press Guild award. |
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