Aim:

To discover some of the differences between the English language today and as it was written five hundred years ago in the 1460s.

Method:

An extract from the mid-15th century Chronicles of England is examined for those linguistic features by which it can be contrasted with present-day English.
Part 1 consists of Activities for students. Part 2 is a discussion and commentary.

Aim:

To discover some of the differences between the English language today and in the late 16th century.

Method:

Features of the language of Shakespeare’s Much Adoe About Nothing (1598) are analysed.
Evidence for changes in stress patterns and pronunciation is presented and discussed.

Aim:

To practise some of the skills of editing and paraphrasing historical texts.

Method:

(i) The use of modern spelling in the printed editions of historical texts is discussed and practised, with reference to the problems of archaic vocabulary and grammar.
(ii) The "modernising" of an extract from John Evelyn's Diary.
(iii) Re-writing the language of the diary in the style of a biography.

Aim:

To discover some of the changes in the language since the 1650s.

Method:

Extracts from George Fox’s Journal are used as data to describe those features of the language which differ from present-day Standard English.