I don’t have any special insight but I can hazard a guess:
The Normans replaced the bulk of the rich, powerful and landed (distinctions without a great deal of difference, in the C11th). In doing so they changed the language of the elite as well from OE to Norman French.
So the class that consumed high culture post 1066 both had its own imported culture, and was cut off from the existing culture.
This week’s episode concerns Norman adventures in southern Italy and beyond, much of which is outside the traditional 1066 story well known in Britain. I guess it’ll be iPlayerable.
Some old-becoming-middle English did continue to be written down, e.g. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peterborough_Chronicle), but that’s pretty unusual.
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(no subject)
Date: 2010-08-04 01:26 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-08-04 06:54 pm (UTC)Ah, but it appears that my host doesn't like. :(
(no subject)
Date: 2010-08-05 08:51 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-08-05 11:05 am (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2010-08-16 07:15 pm (UTC)I suppose it depends what you mean by a coup.
I don’t have any special insight but I can hazard a guess:
The Normans replaced the bulk of the rich, powerful and landed (distinctions without a great deal of difference, in the C11th). In doing so they changed the language of the elite as well from OE to Norman French.
So the class that consumed high culture post 1066 both had its own imported culture, and was cut off from the existing culture.
This week’s episode concerns Norman adventures in southern Italy and beyond, much of which is outside the traditional 1066 story well known in Britain. I guess it’ll be iPlayerable.
Some old-becoming-middle English did continue to be written down, e.g. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peterborough_Chronicle), but that’s pretty unusual.