New Book on Tyndale and his language

It is good to see this book out in this anniversary year (Tyndale's New Testament first appeared in 1526) by a world expert on the English language and its development and the author of Begat (on the AV). He himself has been surprised at how large a contribution Tyndale actually made to the English language. Making use of all Tyndale's works not just his translations Crystal makes a very thorough job of analysing Tyndale and his language with the help of the OED and one or two other resources. Even linguophiles will nod perhaps at certain points, especially when he is trying to work out how much of the AV is Tyndale, but Crystal is good at keeping up interest. His extensive use of appendices is a wise move. I'd have liked more on Jehovah and atonement and Passover but Crystal is a linguist not a theologian. Do get hold of it.

My DNA

Probably need to click to see this

10 European Bible Translators

1. Martin Luther (German)
2. William Tyndale (English)
3. Robert Olivetan (French)
4. Jan Blahoslav (Czech)
5. Francysk Skaryna (Russian)
6. Giovanni Diodati (Italian)
7. Casiodoro de Reina (Spanish)
8. Jan Seklucjan (Polish)
9. Laurentius Andreae (Swedish)
10. William Morgan (Welsh)

10 Great English Classical Composers

1. John Dowland
2. William Byrd
3. Henry Purcell
4. George Frederic Handel (actually a German, but resided in England for a large portion of his life)
5. Edward Elgar
6. Frederick Delius
7. Gustav Holst
8. Ralph Vaughan Williams
9. Benjamin Britten
10. Malcolm Arnold

London Culture 02

After the Courtauld I got myself south of the river to Shakespeare's Globe for the first time this summer. The play was sold out but I thought I'd try the returns queue and had a choice of three tickets. I opted for the first time to sit down. They said the view was restricted because it was next to a camera filming the performance - but it was a front row fine view (I was glad to be under cover though there was very little rain).

Midsummer Night's Dream must be the first Shakespeare I ever encountered around 14, though I don't recall seeing it performed at all. It is quite hard to follow in some ways as the Titania Oberon elements assume a number of things. You can't help liking Bottom and the mechanics though, especially when played as well as they were by Pearce Quigley and co. Fergal McElherron was a ringer for Bobby Ball at times. The scene with the wall at the end was milked for every legitimate laugh and was genuinely funny. Every time I get to the Globe I enjoy it and I'm just sorry that (mainly with my art classes) I've not been until now this season. More here.

Jane Eyre

Eleri and I went to see the new version of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre last night and I thought it was pretty amazing. Obviously the novel (despite its anti-evangelical bias, its Romanticism and downright mystical bent) is brilliant. This screenplay is very well done. The casting is almost perfect (an uglier more Yorkshire like Rochester would have suited me). Every scene shot is done with breathtaking beauty. The use of the bleak moors, the meteorological observance of the pathetic fallacy, the tempo, the attention to detail, the excellent and well judged music - it is all done very well. The acting is brilliant. I hate the way everyone goes on about how brilliant Judi Dench is but what can you do? In this she is simply brilliant. At one point she says nothing just looks and you know she just has it.

It all reminded me of how much I enjoyed some of those Merchant Ivory films of the late eighties and early nineties. I'd love to see the team on Wuthering heights, much harder to pull off I would guess.

King's English Link

This is well done. I'd missed it before. Perhaps you had too.

English Evolving

I should have mentioned that Rhodri and I enjoyed a nice free exhibiition at the British Library last Monday. (Tip off from Principal S - thanks!). Called Evolving English it is a very well done cruise through the history and development of the language in conjunction with a book by good old David Crystal. See the website here. Have a go at the quiz. Rhodri and I drew 5 all.