Introduction to Old English (DRAKE HALL)

Wesaþ hale! Come, all scholars of the noble tongue! Those who wish to probe that ancestral language of the Angles and Saxons! The grandfather of Modern English awaits. This class will tantalize the mind and test the language skills of class participants. Be fairly warned, this is a dead-language class: the approach to learning is quite different from learning a living spoken language, but it is language-learning, nonetheless. The course will cover Old English grammatical declensions, case system, and vocabulary. Some memorization will be expected and encouraged, and practicing declensions outside of class will strongly aid in success. But the payoff will come from the joy of translating original Old English texts in class together, delving into the rich and beautiful language that is the root of Modern English. Class participants will gain a basic grasp of translating Old English and the tools to begin crafting their own translations. 

Required Reading:  Peter S. Baker, Introduction to Old English (third edition), Wiley-Blackwell. 2012. 

Abigayil Wernsman is an emerging scholar who recently received her PhD in literary arts from the University of Denver, with a focus on early medieval literature. While there, she studied Old English, early medieval Latin literature, and early English pedagogy. She earned her MA in Victorian literature from the University of Northern Colorado, with a focus on the Bronte sisters, and studied Victorian literature at CSU for her BA. She has taught various British literature courses, poetry and writing classes, and Old English language classes. She is writing and researching a book project on Beowulf and academic translation, as well as several side projects. She currently lives in Loveland with her husband and their fat little dog.  

Notes

• A current OLLI membership is required to register for all courses and lectures. 
• If you do not have a Fall 2025 membership, one will be added to your cart at checkout. 
• OLLI membership fees and course tuition are critical to the Institute's sustainability and are non-refundable. 

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