When did William Caxton start printing in Westminster?
William Caxton started printing in Westminster during 1476. This event marked the beginning of a new era for English language history.
Questions about Early Modern English
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What was the first officially authorized Bible in English and when was it published?
Myles Coverdale edited the Great Bible published in 1539. It represented the first officially authorized Bible in English.
How many editions of the Book of Common Prayer appeared after its first edition in 1549?
Subsequent revisions occurred in 1552, 1559, 1604, and 1662. The Book of Common Prayer appeared in its first edition in 1549 under Thomas Cranmer's supervision.
Which pronouns were used for second-person singular and plural contexts in Early Modern English?
Early Modern English featured two second-person personal pronouns: thou for informal singular use and ye for plural or formal singular contexts. By 1650, thou seemed old-fashioned or literary within standard usage.
When did the King James Version translation work begin and when was it published?
Translators of the King James Version began work in 1604 and published their text in 1611 while Shakespeare reached peak popularity. God addressed individual people and even Satan using thou throughout the King James Version.