English Down Under
History of the English language
Ye olde Englisc
Literature Concepts
Famous Characters of British Literature
100

Crikey!

Expression of surprise, shock; "Wow!"

100

What Language family does English belong to, alongside Swedish and Norwegian?

Germanic

100

sweord (n.)

a sword

100
How an author shows the reader a character's personality

Characterization

100

Sherlock Holmes’s companion and chief interpreter

John Watson

200

Tucker

Food

200

This book is considered the authority on all English words (in Britain)

Oxford English Dictionary

200

bæþ (v. / n.)

to take a bath / bathe / a bath

200
The type of literature which is meant to be performed on the stage

Drama

200
This character in an Oscar Wilde play is known for his false identity

Jack (Ernest)

300

Barbie

Barbecue (or grill)

300
Along with the USA and Canada, this is the third country in North America that has English as its official language

Jamaica

300

Wifman (n.)

woman

300

An element of literature which refers to the underlying 'message' of the text, which is often revealed through metaphor

Theme

300

The aloof romantic hero of Pride and Prejudice

Mr. Darcy

400

Sheila

a woman

400

Around what year did people start speaking "modern English"?

~1500

400

Cyning (n.)

King

400

When something in literature stands for a concept or idea rather than being meant completely literally

Symbol / Symbolism

400

Beowulf, the hero of the oldest English poem, fights this monster. (Name one of three.)

Grendel, Grendel's mother, a Dragon

500

Out in the bush

away from the town/city; in the forest or outback

500

This writer is said to have introduced around 1,000 new words into the English language

Shakespeare

500

Giefu (v. / n.)

gift

500

The part of a story, usually at the beginning, which introduces the characters, the setting, and the main conflict

exposition

500

The only one of the five Wizards sent to Middle-Earth who did not stray from his task in the Lord of the Rings

Gandalf