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Period: 500 BCE to 1000
THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES
Christianity, monasteries and monks.
Monks ran schools and copied books for those who couldn't read or write,they collected and saved ancient writings from Greece and Rome,and they served as scribes and advisors to local rulers.
BEOWULF is the oldest literature written in European vernacular. Created as early as 700 AD. However the manuscript has been dated at 1000 AD. -
450 BCE
THE INDIANS
The main focuses were: pronunciation and grammar because they were aware that their language had diverged from that of their oldest sacred texts, the Vedas. Pronunciation was important because that certain religious ceremonies, to be successful, needed to reproduce accurately the original form of these texts. -
300 BCE
THE GREEKS
Concentrated on was written language and they were interested in the fields of grammar and etymology. -
150 BCE
THE ROMANS
The Romans introduced an approach to language. The most influential work of the Roman period was: the codification of Latin grammar by Marcus Terentius Varro (116-27 bc) under the headings of etymology, morphology, and syntax.Varro's work held the view that language is first and foremost a social phenomenon with a communicative purpose. Focus on grammatical notions. -
Period: 1000 to 1500
THE LATER MIDD
Christian church grew stronger. Church leaders helped build the first universities in Europe.
The church's goal was to teach people about religion.
Other universities were created by groups of students who went searching for teachers who could tell them about the world.
All classes were taught in LATIN. It was the language of scholars and the church. -
Period: 1270 to
THE RENAISSANCE
Interest in Greek and Roman writings was revived. Italian writers contributed great works of literature.
Revived subjects that the Greeks and Romans had studied like grammar, speaking, poetry, history, and the Greek and Latin
languages.
Paper and printing led to the spread of new ideas.
Important writers as: Shakespeare. Shakespeare is probably responsible for more than 2,000 English words.
The first printed book was a Bible printed in the Latin language in about 1455.