Assignment # 2 / Old English : Ramírez, Carlos

1. When was Old English spoken?

- Old English was spoken between the mid-5th century and the mid-12th century.

2. Name 4 language groups which influenced the development of Old English.

- Germanic
- Latin
- Viking
- Celtic

3. In the Phonology section, name 5 phonetical differences between Old English & Modern English.

- Nominative
- Accusative
- Genitive
- Dative
- Instrumental

4. Are there any similarites between Old English and Modern English? Name them.

- The word order of Old English is widely believed to be subject-verb-object (SVO) as in modern English and most Germanic languages

5. In the Orthography section, enlarge the picture of the runic alphabet. How many letters (runes) are there in this alphabet?

- 34 Letters (runes)

6. Which epic poem was originally written in Old English?

- Beowulf

7. In the See Also section, click on: Beowulf. Appoximately when was Beowulf written?

- Between the 8th to the 11th century

8. Even though Beowulf was written in England, the story takes place in which countries?

- Denmark and Sweden

9. In the poem, which 3 antagonists does Beowulf battle or fight against?

- Grendel
- Grendel’s Mother
- Unnamed Dragon

10. What happens to Beowulf at the end of the story?

Beowulf is fatally wounded in the final battle, and after his death he is buried in a barrow in Geatland by his retainers.

11. Who was the author of Beowulf?

- Anonymous

12. What were the titles and the dates of the two film versions of Beowulf?

- Beowulf (1999)
- Beowulf and Grendel (2005)