
171 episodes

The History of English Podcast Kevin Stroud
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- History
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4.8 • 5.4K Ratings
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A chronological history of the English language examined through the lens of historical events that shaped the development and spread of the language from the Eurasian steppe to the entire world.
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Episode 160: Approximant-ly English
In this episode, we explore the sounds represented by the letters L and R. Linguists refer to these sounds as ‘approximants,’ and they are some of the most challenging sounds in the English language. They are consonants with vowel-like qualities. … Continue reading →
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Episode 159: Elizabethan Voices
In 1569, an English scholar named John Hart published a manuscript called ‘An Orthographie.’ The text argued for a phonetic spelling system, and it provided one of the earliest detailed descriptions of the sounds of English. In this episode, we … Continue reading →
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Episode 158: Planting Seeds
In the mid-1500s, England attempted to expand its influence in Ireland by establishing plantations there. This same process would soon be applied to North America. In this episode, we explore those early attempts at Irish colonization and England’s first encounters … Continue reading →
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Episode 157: Highlands, Lowlands and Netherlands
During the first decade of the reign of Elizabeth I, Protestants in Scotland and the Netherlands rebelled against the Catholic authorities who controlled those countries. Those rebellions were supported by England, and eventually Scotland and the Netherlands joined England as … Continue reading →
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Episode 156: Beggars, Cheats and Thieves
In the 1500s, England saw a significant rise in the number of beggars and vagabonds. Those who couldn’t survive by begging often turned to thievery, gambling and fraud. By the mid-1500s, books and pamphlets were being published that highlighted the … Continue reading →
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Episode 155: Back to Basics
In the 1553, Mary Tudor became the first queen to rule England as the head of the government. She promptly turned back the clock on the religious reforms that had taken place over the prior few years. Meanwhile, scholars of … Continue reading →
Customer Reviews
Great So Far
I found this podcast after hearing Kevin on the Advisory Opinions podcast. I have listened to just the first episode so far, but it is incredibly interesting. I am looking forward to listening to all the episodes.
My favorite podcast
Such an incredible podcast. I love the attention to detail in both the historical and linguistic sense. The way Kevin weaves these facets together around a central theme each episode is nothing short of art. Thank you for creating such a wonderful podcast!
Thanks!
Wonderful ~