Standardization of English

Besides these religious exercises, secular translations also helped in the formation and standardization of the English language. One of the major figures in this was King Alfred the Great of Wessex. Alfred is primarily remembered for upholding the pride of Anglo-Saxons and resisting the attacks of the invading Viking tribes. After consolidating his triumphs and establishing a stable kingdom, Alfred set about to build up the culture of his country. He realized that his kingdom did not have much to boast about in terms of literature. So he launched a project of translations of classical works into English or old English as it was known. These translations had a specific mission – to educate the uncouth people in morals and ethics and to familiarize them with the best of culture in other languages. Alfred himself was a translator, and the chief of his works were the Roman Christian philosopher Boethius’s Consolations of Philosophy and St. Augustine’s Soliloquies. These works were didactic in nature and acted like hand books in moral philosophy. Alfred’s translations and those he commissioned helped in the evolution of English. They also instilled the pride of Englishness and the English language in his people, which became more concrete later during the Elizabethan age.