The Uses of Literacy in Anglo-Saxon England and its Neighbours
C. P. Wormald
As the recent lament over falling standards by Secretary-General of United Nations reminds us, universal literacy is today considered a necessary feature civilized society. This may be one reason why problem medieval literacy, society where ability to read and write was apparently confined clerical élite has so intrigued modern historians. In this paper, I wish reconsider extent lay in England before Conquest. But first we must clear what mean literacy. The does not necessarily imply write. To take only most famous example, Charlemagne could speak Latin, enjoy City God , but he never learnt What Parkes calls ‘pragmatic literacy’ extend from capacity recognize, if sign, one's own name, formal document Latin. might called ‘cultured range reading free prose vernacular composing Latin classical tradition. more advanced types pragmatic well overlap with basic cultured levels. it obvious that cannot deduce widespread any-thing fact names owners or makers were some-times engraved upon Anglo-Saxon coins, weapons memorials; generally high standard culture there documents vernacular. If are describe early English as literate sense would satisfy ancient, later medieval, historian, show proportion laymen able at least writ poem socially, statistically, significant.
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