Sixteenth-century London dialect: how Londoners spoke in Sir Gresham’s time
- Date & time
- Location
- Gresham CollegeBarnard's Inn Hall Holborn, London, EC1N 2HH
- Organisation
- Gresham College
Topics
About this talk
Sir Thomas Gresham (1519-1579) was born in London, and would have spoken what is now known as Early Modern English. Early Modern English was variable, partly because the old Anglo-Norman/Medieval Latin/Middle English system had become abandoned and monolingual English was beginning to standardise; and partly because an increase in trade meant an increase in mobility, resulting in more linguistic influences. This lecture traces the history of some now-obsolete features of sixteenth-century London speech which can be heard in some overseas variants of English, such as in traditional blues lyrics. A lecture by Laura Wright This event is also available to watch live online. To register, visit: Sixteenth-Century London Dialect: How Londoners Spoke in Sir Thomas Gresham’s Time | Gresham College Gresham College has offered free public lectures for over 400 years, thanks to the generosity of our supporters. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to learn from some of the greatest minds. To support Gresham College's mission, please consider making a donation: Donate Today | Gresham College
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