Old Engli.sh

The Portal to the Language of the Anglo-Saxons

The Old-Engli.sh News Archive



This page lists news on research, publications and events from the world of Old English linguistics and related fields.

February 2023
Illustration of Old English words starting with L to commemorate the Dictionary of Old English
Old English words with the letter L in front of a head of the god Woden from a 12th century manuscript
The Dictionary of Old English (DOE) 2022 Progress Report has been published. Its most important update concerns word entries beginning with the letter L. The report further details events after the pandemic, including a sad passing, many studious exchanges, and solid financing.


January 2022
DOE Adopt-a-Word funding campaign
Logo of the DOE's Adopt-a-Word funding campaign with the Old English for "We thank you."
The Dictionary of Old English (DOE) 2020 progress report has been published. It showcases the DOE's achievments, which are all the more impressive given the challenges associated with the COVID-19 pandemic. Notable updates concern words starting with the letter L as well as new staff members and funding.


February 2021
Cartulary of Saint Albans image detail
Manuscript Brussels, Bibliothèque Royale, 7965-73, f. 165r - a seventeenth century transcript of Old English charters now included in the Dictionary of Old English Corpus
As a dead language, Old English has a finite number of text sources its native speakers wrote while they were alive. The only way to enlarge the Old English corpus is therefore to discover new manuscripts of previously unknown texts. Such discoveries are extremely rare and noteworthy events. Yet, the DOE’s Corpus of Old English has just accomplished such a feat – several new texts comprising thousands of words were added to their database in 2019.


December 2020
Epinal Erfurt Glossary Dictionary of Old English
A page from the Épinal-Erfurt Glossary (CCCC 144) - the DOE is now hosting a free online edition of this document
The annual progress report of the Dictionary of Old English (DOE) for 2019 is out, and the developments at the project are as inspiring and innovative as ever. Work is progressing on the letter L and the DOE website now hosts a brand-new edition of the Épinal-Erfurt Glossary.


June 2018
Dictionary Old English depiction of Hell
A depiction of Hell from an Anglo-Saxon Manuscript Cotton Claudius B.IV
The Dictionary of Old English presents its report for 2017 - an exceptionally eventful year as the team welcomes their new Chief Editor, completes the letter I, and maximizes efforts with outreach and dissemination.


April 2016
DOE logo red dragon
Dictionary of Old English to publish letter H
2015 was a remarkable year for the Dictionary of Old English (DOE). The annual progress report for 2015 projects completion of the letter H, presents system upgrades, and announces important staff changes.


May 2015
A word is born Dictionary of Old English
“A word is born” - a virtual exhibit created by the DOE in 2014
The 2014 Dictionary of Old English (DOE) progress report describes progress on the letter H, coordination with the Middle English Dictionary, and the creation of the virtual exhibit A Word is Born. Some notable retirements took place. Toni Healey, David McDougall, and Ian McDougall have stepped away after each devoting over 30 years of their lives to the DOE.


May 2014
DOE logo old
Old logo, state-of-the-art technology
The Dictionary of Old English has published its annual progress report for 2013. The biggest innovation this year: a large number of technological advancements.


February 2014
British Library Medieval Manuscript Blog
The logo of the British Library's
Medieval Manuscript Blog
The British Library has been producing state-of-the-art digitizations of its early manuscripts, many of them containing Anglo-Saxon texts. A newly released list reveals that the institution will soon have reason to celebrate a grand jubilee: it is about to digitize its one thousandth medieval manuscript.


October 2013
Nerthus project homepage
Homepage of the Nerthus project
Nerthus, an online lexical database of Old English, has been in the making since 2007 - time to look back and evaluate the state, progress and benefits of the project. Is Nerthus going to be an indispensable research tool for Anglo-Saxonists or an obscure grammar toy, quickly fading into oblivion?


April 2013
Dictionary of Old English donors
Some of the donors that brought the DOE record donations in 2012
The annually published progress report of the Dictionary of Old English (DOE) reveals ongoing advancement towards an eventual completion of the project but no groundbreaking innovations for 2012. Record amounts of donations allowed the DOE staff to continue its business as usual.


April 2012
DOE Homepage 2011
The new Dictionary of Old English homepage
Another year – another DOE Progress Report. Find out what has been going on at the dictionary that “defines the first chapter of the English language” since 2011.


January 2012
BBC2 Documentary:
Saxon Hoard -
A Golden Discovery
Saxon Hoard: Golden Discovery
A new BBC2 documentary on the Anglo-Saxon treasure found in Staffordshire in 2009 will be broadcast this January. It narrates the discovery of the hoard, embeds the find in its historical context, speculates about reasons behind the burial, and points out the relevance of the treasure for our understanding of Anglo-Saxon culture.


July 2011
New Old English text editions:
Advances in Anglo-Saxon studies
Some new OE text editions
Despite the fact that virtually all Old English mansucripts have already been edited, published and meticulously analysed during the 20th century, recent years have seen a resurgence in Anglo-Saxon publishing activities.


June 2011
Early English Laws logo
Early English Laws:
The new standard resource for law-making in medieval England
"Early English Laws", a project aiming to publish new editions and translations of all English legal codices before Magna Carta, is scheduled to finish its first objectives and publications this year.


May 2011
DOE logo
Dictionary of Old English:
State-of-the-art lexicographic research
The Dictionary of Old English (DOE), a work-in-progress collection and analysis of the entire extant vocabulary of the Old English period (c. 600-1150 A.D.), has published its annual progress report for the year 2010.





Find here a collection of free, downloadable Old English text editions and translations, including Apollonius of Tyre. Ælfric's Catholic Homilies, Biblical Translations, The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle and many other texts. Continue...