Engla land

Old English

Alternative forms

Etymology

    From the genitive of Engle (“Angles”) + land (“land”). Literally "land of the Angles."

    Pronunciation

    • IPA(key): /ˈen.ɡlɑ ˌlɑnd/, [ˈeŋ.ɡlɑ ˌlɑnd]

    Proper noun

    Engla land n

    1. England (a medieval kingdom in Northern Europe)

    Usage notes

    • The word for England varies by dialect. Early West Saxon has only Angelcynn and Angelcynnes land. The Mercian translator of Bede's Ecclesiastical History (c. 900) almost exclusively uses Angelcynn and Angelþēod, but twice mentions Engla land in one sentence, where the context suggests it should be translated as "English territory." By contrast, in Late West Saxon Engla land is clearly the predominant word for England, though Angelcynn is still used occasionally. By the Middle English period, there is no trace of Angelcynn.

    Declension

    Strong a-stem:

    singular plural
    nominative Engla land —
    accusative Engla land —
    genitive Engla landes —
    dative Engla lande —

    Descendants

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