A new publication from the West Virginia University Press will help students learn a language thats nearly 1,000 years old.

Reading Old English: A Primer and First Readeris written by University of Connecticut scholars Robert Hasenfratz and Thomas Jambeck.

The English language has been around since Germanic tribes invaded England in the fifth century. Its form from the early seventh century, when the language began to be written down, until the conquest of England by the Norman French in 1066 is calledOld EnglishorAnglo-Saxonby scholars. This is in contrast toMiddle English,the language of Chaucers time, andModern English,which properly begins with Shakespeares language and continues with our own.

The English of 1,000 years ago is incomprehensible today to persons who have not been specifically trained to read it, because both the vocabulary and the structure of the language have changed immensely, said Patrick Conner, director of the Press. Reading Old English helps teachers to provide that training, he noted.

A fairly large number of students have long been interested in Old English, the language ofBeowulf.In fact, Henry Sweet, the model for the character Henry Higgins in George Bernard Shaws playPygmalion,and later in Lerner and LowesMy Fair Lady,compiled an exceedingly popular book in 1882 titledAnglo-Saxon Primer,with grammar, notes and glossary which remains in print today, Conner said.

Older books on the subject like Sweets book, however, assume that students have already learned languages such as Latin or Greek, or they wouldnt be interested in Old English, Conner said. Such books are notstudent friendly,he added.

By focusing on the main goal of learning to translate Old English texts, students gain access to this fascinating body of literature much more quickly,David F. Johnson, professor of English at Florida State University, writes of Hasenfratz and Jambecks book, which he tested in an earlier version.

Their confidence is bolstered, and, as my experience has shown, many of them go on to learn more about the language and culture once they have mastered the basics. In short, this approach generates enthusiasm and a desire to learn, rather than stifling it,he said.

The new book has just arrived at the WVU Press and is already being used in courses at WVU , Boston College, Florida State University, John Carroll University, Vassar College and the University of Connecticut.

For information about the WVU Press, visitwww.wvupress.com, or call 866-988-7737.