Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book examines the development of English as a written vernacular, identifying that development as a process of community building that occurred in a multilingual context. It argues that, paradoxical as it may at first seem, some perceptions of distance actually invite communal engagement and encourage the development of textual community. The book also treats language as a consistently important facet of cultural life and considers the broader or longer-term trends that arise. It also attempts to reach back to Anglo-Saxon texts, particularly those in Old English, a central part of the justification and support for the new Anglican Church. In Europe, English was precocious as a written vernacular, but that came about through awareness both of placement with respect to other languages and of the power of texts and books to cement community and identity.