The Formation and Fate of Old English Christian Terminology

The article deals with one of the least explored constituents of the Old English vocabulary. The issues concerning the origin of Old English Christian terms, their meaning and usage are discussed with reference to the Anglo-Saxon Christian literature of the late 10th century (Ælfric’s Lives of Saints, Homilies of Ælfric and Blickling Homilies). The analysed material demonstrates remarkable resourcefulness of Old English in its capacity not only to borrow and assimilate foreign words, but also to utilize native words adapting them to new meanings and to form new words by means of loan translations and typical Old English word formation and derivation patterns. Etymological and semantic analysis of some extinct or lost native Old English Christian terms reveals notable aspects of the Christian worldview of the Old English period, which is marked by compliance with patristic Tradition, while being also characterised by national peculiarities in the interpretation of some key Christian concepts. The Norman Conquest of 1066 brought about, among others, a dramatic change to the English language, manifested primarily in the great influx of French words changing its word-stock beyond recognition. Most of the Old English Christian terms were irrevocably lost, while some underwent a semantic shift or reduction. As a result, Christian terminology of modern English, unlike that of Old English, consists mainly of foreign borrowings.