English's Fight for Power During the 14th and 15th centuries, there was a movement to make English the central language in society. This struggle for power was both political and linguistic, starting within the Catholic Church. The majority of people did not have access to the Bible in English, as it was only available in Latin.
'The Mystery Plays' - A Glimpse into Biblical Stories 'The Mystery Plays', performed since around thirteen seventy six, depict biblical stories from God's creation to Christ's resurrection. These plays were religious but separate from scripture itself. To hear the actual Bible stories in English, one had to go inside churches where they were still spoken exclusively in Latin.
John Wickliffe: The Battle for an English Bible John Wickliffe believed that everyone should have access to knowledge and opposed corruption within the church hierarchy.He organized a translation team at Oxford University which secretly translated parts ofthe bible into english.The first english bibleswere reproduced by handand distributed clandestinely.Wickliffes work faced oppositionfromthe catholic establishment who condemned his translationsas heretical.Eventually,a parliamentary ban on allenglish-language Bibleswas imposed.However,the Lollards,a secret group influenced byWickcliffe’s ideas continuedto spreadhis teachingsin England
The Birth of English Poetry The first known poem in the English language expresses a personal Christian spiritual vision and challenges the corruption of the Christian Church. It is written in an old form reminiscent of Beowulf and uses plain language to convey a real individual relationship with God.
Henry V's Influence on Standardized English "Trusty and well-beloved" Henry V breaks tradition by writing dispatches home in English after his victory over France. This decision leads to the creation of an official standardized English that can be understood throughout England, paving the way for future developments.
Standardizing Written Language through Chancery To establish a common written language, Chancery makes decisions about word forms and spellings. Thousands of documents are produced using this standardized version, making it more modern-looking than before but still inconsistent due to historical accidents.
The Quest for a Common Standard English was a fluid and regionally difficult language. William Caxton sought to achieve a common standard that would be understood by all. He faced the challenge of diverse dialects, as illustrated by his struggle to find an English word for 'eggs'. Ultimately, it was printers like Caxton who played a significant role in establishing standardized vocabulary and spelling.
William Tyndale: The Bible Translator "A Bible for the people in their spoken language" became the mission of William Tyndale. In 1526, he translated the New Testament into English from Hebrew and Greek sources. Despite opposition from authorities fearing its influence, thousands of copies were smuggled into England. Tyndale's work had profound impact on shaping modern English phrases still used today.