The Adventure of English

I heartily agree that this series is a treat to any of us who consciously enjoy the language of Britain and the States. Robin McNeil's "The Story of English" was nowhere near as lively as this.

Why is this show being relegated to obscurity? It is running (Feb 2005)on the History Channel (cable/satellite) at 4 a.m. on successive days. No repeats are scheduled here, either. I have seen it for sale on the Web for a mere $930 -- www.films.com. One negative comment on the History Channel showing -- it has been closed captioned with the cheaper, easier, roll-up style caps; the style with a large black box obscuring the video with scrolling caps. IMHO, pop-on CCs would greatly enhance "The Adventure of English" for all of us.

I've enjoyed watching this program on the History Channel, here in the US. It is now being rebroadcast (10/1/06), beginning, oddly, with the Norman Invasion.

Being multilingual, I do enjoy the emphasis upon WORDS by Melvyn Bragg. Particularly helpful is the provision of the background historical context. The section on the English bible was enjoyed.

Missing are other aspects of language, such as changes in grammar, syntax, punctuation, et cetera. Notably glossed over is the "great vowel shift" which made Chaucer's English sound more familiar to our modern ears. During the time of Chaucer, vowels were pronounced differently, but with the changes that came afterwards, words took on sounds familiar to us today.

All in all, however, an enjoyable program. While I wish it was on DVD, there is a book available.

I can't recommend this too highly.

Bragg is an unpretentious host as he guides us through the historical development of the English language. Many people don't know or care how or why Americans say "fore-head" while Brits say "forrid." Or why "honor" is spelled (or spellt) "honour" in the Old Country. There aren't many pivot points that can be traced to one man but that change can be.

The format is pleasant, relaxed, and undemanding. I wish it had been available when I was teaching a course in "Language and Culture" because this covers many of the same bases -- not just language but history as well.

Watch it.

Bragg displays, once again, his priceless gift of making the academic accessible, of educating without patronising. The development of English (past, current situation, future) is a huge, multi-faceted but potentially dull, topic. This series, with each episode pursuing a different theme or perspective, manages to give a substantial overview while leaving the viewer wanting more. However much you thought you knew about the history of the language, the diversity of its worldwide impact and the forces influencing its continuing development, this series will, almost certainly, broaden your understanding whilst entertaining with engaging detail.

The negatives are all to do with how poorly ITV handled its broadcast, relegating it to a graveyard, late Sunday evening, slot with minimal promotion or trailing. As far as I can ascertain, there are no plans for a repeat, nor has there been a DVD/Video release. Very frustrating, as I would love to watch the series again.

As a fairly disparate family we nonetheless found enough within each programme to keep us watching and waiting for the next gem of information. Whether it be the way a word in common use was pronounced or just the vast array of words available we were fascinated.