Episode 100: Decoding English
In this special 100th episode, we review the major consonant sound changes that have impacted English since the Proto-Indo-European language. These sound changes provide us with a set of general rule...
25 Sep 201752min
Episode 99: The Second French Invasion
The early 13th century saw the arrival of a new wave of Frenchmen on the English shores. Some came as conquerors, and some came as nobles and courtiers looking for land and titles. During this period,...
9 Sep 20171h 10min
Episode 98: The Great Debates
Magna Carta is often presented as the culmination of a dispute between King John and his barons, but it didn’t settle the debate. In fact, the charter actually sparked a new debate over the power of t...
17 Aug 201759min
Episode 97: Let’s Put It In Writing
The early 13th Century saw a massive increase in the production of government documents, including charters and official letters. In this episode, we explore the changing role of the written word in ...
27 Juli 20171h 2min
Episode 96: From Alpha to Omega
During the early Middle English period, the long vowel sound represented by letter A started to shift to a new sound represented by letter O. In this episode, we explore this early vowel shift, and w...
7 Juli 201757min
Episode 95: Old School and New School
The 12th and 13th Centuries saw the rise of new institutions of higher learning called “universities.” In this episode, we look at the changing educational system in Western Europe and the rise of Oxf...
15 Juni 20171h 7min
Episode 94: From British Legend to English King
The first version of the King Arthur legend to be composed in English is found in Layamon’s 13th century poem called Brut. In this episode, we explore Layamon’s version of the story, and we examine h...
24 Maj 20171h 5min
Episode 93: The Two Arthurs
The introduction to Layamon’s Brut In this episode, we look at the rivalry between John “Lackland” and Arthur of Brittany for control of the Angevin Empire. John eventually emerged victorious, but in...
22 Apr 20171h 1min
