Subgrouping the Old English Dialects Using Historical Glottometry

Abstract The Northumbrian and Mercian dialects of Old English, collectively called Anglian, are considered closely related, while a kinship between West Saxon and Kentish is only sometimes remarked upon. This article makes the arguments in favour of these subgroupings explicit and tests them using Historical Glottometry, to conclude that Old English was divided into two dialectal blocs, Anglian and Saxo-Kentish. However, prescriptivism and dogmatic adherence to the quadripartition of the Old English dialects have muddied the waters somewhat.