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Assignment 0: The Adventure of English - Viewing Assignment

Instructions

Watch the first two episodes of the documentary “The Adventure of English” and write a 1-2 page response about what you found interesting.

Episode 1: Birth of a Language - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRxKMgXsl9c
Episode 2: English Goes Underground - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VlGD7y8Ngjo

What to include:

Pick 2-3 things that stood out to you:

  • Specific moments, examples, or stories from the episodes
  • Something that surprised you about how English developed
  • Connections between what you saw and modern English (or other languages you know)
  • Whether any of this was familiar from previous classes

Questions to think about:

  • How did invasions and conquests change the language?
  • What does it mean that English “went underground” after 1066?
  • Why do we have so many different words for the same things?

Guidelines:

  • 1-2 pages, informal but thoughtful
  • Focus on what genuinely interested you rather than trying to cover everything
  • Feel free to include questions the documentary raised for you