ENG3701
Assignment 1
Semester 2
2023 (800448) -
DUE 30 August
2023
,ENG3701 FEEDBACK FOR ASSIGNMENT 1, SEMESTER 2
UNIQUE ASSIGNMENT NUMBER: 800448
The question :
Please answer BOTH sections of this question. You should answer Section A AND
Section B.
Section A
The first extract below (on the left) comes from an Anglo-Saxon translation of the Bible.
The second extract (on the right) is a Middle English version. (The Old and Middle
English appear in bold text, and literal translations into Modern English are provided
above each line. 1)
Basing your discussion on the extracts provided, write an essay in which you discuss
the differences and similarities between Old and Middle English.
Your essay should:
1) Briefly place the extracts in their historical contexts.
2) Use the extracts in order to point out differences and similarities between Old
English and Middle English in terms of orthography, spelling, vocabulary and syntax.
3) Draw some conclusions about the nature of the changes that occurred from Old
English to Middle English and give reasons for the changes. You should include a
discussion of Old Norse and French influences.
For Section A, you should aim for about 1200 words.
1
Note that a literal translation is a word-for-word translation, and thus the translations provided
above the OE and ME passages reflect the OE and ME word order.
, Mark 6: 1-6
2 3
Old English (circa 1000 CE) Middle English (circa 1380 CE)
1 And when he (from there) 4 went, he 1 And he went out from there, and
went into his (native country); and him went into his own country; and his
followed his learning-knights. disciples followed him.
1 And þa he ðanon eode, he 1 And he ȝede out fro thennus, and
ferde on his eðel; and him wente in to his owne cuntre; and hise
folgodon his leorningcnihtas. disciplis folewiden him.
2 And (was come) (day of rest), he 2 And when the sabbath was come,
began in (assembly of persons) Jesus began to teach in a synogogue.
[to] 5 teach; and many heard and And many heard, and wondered in
wondered in is teaching, and his teaching, and said…
said…
2 And gewordenum restedæge, he 2 And whanne the sabat was come,
ongann on gesamnunge Jhesus bigan to teche in a synagoge.
læran; and manege gehyrdon and And many herden, and wondriden in
wundrodon on his lare, and his techyng, and seiden…
cwædon…
3 How (is not) this the smith, Mary’s 3 Whether this is not a carpenter, the
son, Jacob’s brother, and son of Mary, the brother of James
Joseph’s…? how not are his sisters and of Joseph…? whether his
here with us? And then became they sisters are not here with us? And they
troublesome. were slandered in him.
3 Hu nys ðis se smið, Marian 3 Whether this is not a carpenter, the
sunu, Iacobes broðor, and sone of Marie, the brother of James
Iosepes…? hu ne synt his swustra and of Joseph…? whether hise
her mid us? And þa wurdon hi sistris ben not here with vs? And thei
gedrefede. weren sclaundrid in hym.
2
The Old English text is from: The Gospel of Saint Mark in West Saxon: edited from the manuscripts
by James Wilson Bright. Belles Lettres Series. Boston, MA & London: Heath, 1905: pp. 24-25.
3
The Middle English text comes from: The New Testament in English According to the Version by
John Wycliffe About A.D. 1380 and Revised by John Purvey About A.D. 1388. Ed. J. Forshall and F.
Madden. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1879: pp.79.
4
Words in round brackets represent a single word in the Old English text.
5
Words in square brackets are words that have been added to the literal translation; these words do
not appear in the OE text.
Assignment 1
Semester 2
2023 (800448) -
DUE 30 August
2023
,ENG3701 FEEDBACK FOR ASSIGNMENT 1, SEMESTER 2
UNIQUE ASSIGNMENT NUMBER: 800448
The question :
Please answer BOTH sections of this question. You should answer Section A AND
Section B.
Section A
The first extract below (on the left) comes from an Anglo-Saxon translation of the Bible.
The second extract (on the right) is a Middle English version. (The Old and Middle
English appear in bold text, and literal translations into Modern English are provided
above each line. 1)
Basing your discussion on the extracts provided, write an essay in which you discuss
the differences and similarities between Old and Middle English.
Your essay should:
1) Briefly place the extracts in their historical contexts.
2) Use the extracts in order to point out differences and similarities between Old
English and Middle English in terms of orthography, spelling, vocabulary and syntax.
3) Draw some conclusions about the nature of the changes that occurred from Old
English to Middle English and give reasons for the changes. You should include a
discussion of Old Norse and French influences.
For Section A, you should aim for about 1200 words.
1
Note that a literal translation is a word-for-word translation, and thus the translations provided
above the OE and ME passages reflect the OE and ME word order.
, Mark 6: 1-6
2 3
Old English (circa 1000 CE) Middle English (circa 1380 CE)
1 And when he (from there) 4 went, he 1 And he went out from there, and
went into his (native country); and him went into his own country; and his
followed his learning-knights. disciples followed him.
1 And þa he ðanon eode, he 1 And he ȝede out fro thennus, and
ferde on his eðel; and him wente in to his owne cuntre; and hise
folgodon his leorningcnihtas. disciplis folewiden him.
2 And (was come) (day of rest), he 2 And when the sabbath was come,
began in (assembly of persons) Jesus began to teach in a synogogue.
[to] 5 teach; and many heard and And many heard, and wondered in
wondered in is teaching, and his teaching, and said…
said…
2 And gewordenum restedæge, he 2 And whanne the sabat was come,
ongann on gesamnunge Jhesus bigan to teche in a synagoge.
læran; and manege gehyrdon and And many herden, and wondriden in
wundrodon on his lare, and his techyng, and seiden…
cwædon…
3 How (is not) this the smith, Mary’s 3 Whether this is not a carpenter, the
son, Jacob’s brother, and son of Mary, the brother of James
Joseph’s…? how not are his sisters and of Joseph…? whether his
here with us? And then became they sisters are not here with us? And they
troublesome. were slandered in him.
3 Hu nys ðis se smið, Marian 3 Whether this is not a carpenter, the
sunu, Iacobes broðor, and sone of Marie, the brother of James
Iosepes…? hu ne synt his swustra and of Joseph…? whether hise
her mid us? And þa wurdon hi sistris ben not here with vs? And thei
gedrefede. weren sclaundrid in hym.
2
The Old English text is from: The Gospel of Saint Mark in West Saxon: edited from the manuscripts
by James Wilson Bright. Belles Lettres Series. Boston, MA & London: Heath, 1905: pp. 24-25.
3
The Middle English text comes from: The New Testament in English According to the Version by
John Wycliffe About A.D. 1380 and Revised by John Purvey About A.D. 1388. Ed. J. Forshall and F.
Madden. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1879: pp.79.
4
Words in round brackets represent a single word in the Old English text.
5
Words in square brackets are words that have been added to the literal translation; these words do
not appear in the OE text.
