GRAMMATICAL STUDIES IN THE OE PERIOD

Abstract

Examining the situation of grammatical studies in Britain from St. Augustine's coming to the island in 598 to Elfric's Grammar written at the beginning of the 11th century, on the basis of such fundamental historical documents as Venerable Bede's Historia Ecclesiastica, Anglo-Saxon laws, etc, the present writer has come to the following conclusions:- 1. We can assume that grammatical studies in Britain began with the coming of St. Augustine to the island. 2. The meaning of 'litteris' in such sentences as 'instituit scholam, in qua pueri litteris erudirentur' should be translated neither as mere ABC or elementary writing nor as belles-lettres, but as something that corresponds to what was taught at grammar schools in later periods. 3. The curriculum of Anglo-Saxon schools was not provincial but European. In other words it consisted of Greek and Latin classics, of the Bible and certain writings of the Fathers of the Church. 4. Education was carried out exclusively by the Church. The leaders of education, i.e. the bishops, were proficient not only in Old English but also in Greek and Latin. They knew, what is more, the writings of the Egyptians and of the Hebrews. 5. The vernacular was always held in esteem. 6. The grammar books which were commonly in use were the traditional ones, that is, those of Donatus and Priscianus. 7. The comparative method of learning Old English on the model of the Latin grammar and vice versa can be traced back to Alfred the Great. 8. The comparative study of Old English and Latin as undertaken by Elfric should be reappraised from a new positive point of view.