ENG3701
Assignment 1 Semester 2 2024
Detailed Solutions, References & Explanations
Unique number:
Due Date: 20 August 2024
QUESTION 1
The invention of the printing press by Johannes Gutenberg in the mid-15th century
revolutionized the spread of the English language. Before the printing press, manuscripts
were laboriously hand-copied, making books rare and expensive. With the advent of the
printing press, mass production of books became possible, significantly reducing costs and
increasing accessibility. William Caxton introduced the printing press to England in 1476,
publishing works such as Geoffrey Chaucer's "The Canterbury Tales." This was crucial for
standardizing English spelling and grammar, as printed materials provided a uniform model
for the language. The press facilitated the dissemination of English literature, religious texts,
and scholarly works, promoting literacy and making English a prominent language in
literature, education, and administration (Eisenstein, 1980).
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