British Academy: The UK's National Academy for the Humanities and Social Sciences
BA PDF Symposium 200626 April 2006 AbstractsDr Duncan ProbertMapping early medieval language change in south-west EnglandThis paper explores the potential for using evidence preserved in certain place-names to map the linguistic transition from a Brittonic to an Old English vernacular in south-west England. It's initial proposition is that pre-English place-names with the potential to have been affected by early medieval developments in Brittonic may indicate whether or not these had occurred when each place-name was adopted by Old English speakers. Three examples of such developments are examined and their distributions mapped, providing the basis for a consideration of various methodological and interpretative problems. Dr Duncan Probert read Medieval Studies at the University of Birmingham as a mature student, having previously worked in biomathematics and graphic design. After graduating he read for a PhD on social transitions in early medieval southwest Britain under the supervision of Dr Steven Bassett. He was awarded his PDF in 2003, and was elected to the council of the English Place-Name Society in 2005.
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