Kentish Old English

What Is Kentish Old English?

Kentish Old English was a special way of speaking that people used a very long time ago in a place called the kingdom of Kent. It was one of the four main groups of Old English, the language spoken by people who lived in England many years ago.

Where Did Kentish Come From?

The people who spoke Kentish came from Germany. They lived in places like Kent, Surrey, Sussex, southern Hampshire, and the Isle of Wight. These people were called Jutes by a writer named Bede.

How Do We Know About Kentish?

We learn about Kentish from old writings, like laws made by Kentish kings. Even though these writings were recorded later, they show us small differences between Kentish and another version of Old English called West Saxon. Despite these differences, people could still understand each other easily. Fun old writings include a Kentish Psalm and documents from kings like Oswulf and Abba.