Engla land
Old English
Alternative forms
- Ængla land, Englaland
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
- England
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
Declension of Engla land (strong a-stem)
| Case | Singular | Plural |
|---|---|---|
| nominative | Engla land | — |
| accusative | Engla land | — |
| genitive | Engla landes | — |
| dative | Engla lande | — |
Descendants
- Middle English: Engelond, Engeland, Englelond
- English: England
- Scots: Ingland, England
- Yola: Engelhoan