With the Norman invasion, English became a third language in its own country, behind French and Latin. In this program, Melvyn Bragg examines the impact of Old French on the development of English. Manuscripts, tapestries, and dozens of curious etymologies help illustrate a tremendous influx of vocabulary pertaining to romance, chivalry, and, of course, food. The influence of Eleanor of Aquitaine’s patronage is heard in works of poets and troubadours as the cult of courtly love flourished in England. (52 minutes)

Tell a Friend! Your Name: Your Email: Your Friend's Email: Your Message: We respect your privacy and will not use your friend's address without permission. Item#: BVL33210 Copyright date: ©2003 VHS ISBN 978-0-7365-9225-3 DVD (Chaptered) ISBN 978-0-7365-9241-3

Part of the Series : The Adventure of English: 500 A.D. to 2000 A.D.

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		Many Tongues Called English, One World Language This program explores how America's rise as an economic power made it the driving force behind the spread of English in the 20th century. A world tour illustrates how English has mixed with other languages-from "Franglais" in France to "Singlish" in ...(more details)		VHS $149.95 DVD (Chaptered) $149.95 DVD + 3-Year Streaming $224.93 3-Year Streaming $149.95
		"This Earth, This Realm, This England" Has any single person shaped English more than William Shakespeare? This program uses unparalleled access to some of the greatest English texts, including the first English dictionary and a rare first folio of Shakespeare's plays, to illustrate the g...(more details)		VHS $149.95 DVD (Chaptered) $149.95 DVD + 3-Year Streaming $224.93 3-Year Streaming $149.95
		Speaking Proper This program follows English through the 18th and 19th centuries, from attempts at reforming and standardizing the tongue in the Age of Reason to the soaring verse of Romanticism and the verbal prudishness of the Victorian era. Linguistic milestones ...(more details)		VHS $149.95 DVD (Chaptered) $149.95 DVD + 3-Year Streaming $224.93 3-Year Streaming $149.95
		The Battle for the Language of the Bible In late-medieval England, English quietly ousted French in law and government- but the move to make it God's language meant bloodshed. This program looks at the battle for a Bible in English, a struggle with huge impact on the language itself. Dramat...(more details)		VHS $149.95 DVD (Chaptered) $149.95 DVD + 3-Year Streaming $224.93 3-Year Streaming $149.95

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