William Barnes (1801 - 1886) was an English writer, poet, minister, and philologist. The Union Jack, flag of the newly formed United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ... 1886 (MDCCCLXXXVI) is a common year starting on Friday (click on link to calendar) // Events January 18 - Modern field hockey is born with the formation of The Hockey Association in England. ... Royal motto (French): Dieu et mon droit (Translated: God and my right) Englands location (dark green) within the United Kingdom (light green), with the Republic of Ireland (blue) to its west Languages English Capital London Largest city London Area – Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population –mid-2004... The term writer can apply to anyone who creates a written work, but the word more usually designates those who write creatively or professionally, or those who have written in many different forms. ... A poet is some one who writes poetry. ... Philology is the study of ancient texts and languages. ...

He was born at Rushay, Dorset, the son of a farmer. After being a solicitor's clerk and a schoolmaster, he entered the Church, in which he served various cures. He first contributed to a newspaper, Poems in Dorset Dialect, separately published in 1844. Hwomely Rhymes followed in 1858, and a collected edition of his poems appeared in 1879. His philological works include Philological Grammar (1854), Se Gefylsta, an Anglo-Saxon Delectus (1849). Tiw, or a View of Roots (1862), and a Glossary of Dorset Dialect (1863). For other uses, see Dorset (disambiguation). ... 1844 was a leap year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1858 (MDCCCLVIII) is a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... 1879 (MDCCCLXXIX) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1854 was a common year starting on Sunday (see link for calendar). ... 1849 was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1862 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... 1863 (MDCCCLXIII) is a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the Julian calendar). ...

He was a friend of Thomas Hardy and Gerard Manley Hopkins. He is known for his Dorset dialect poems. Thomas Hardy For other people called Thomas Hardy, see Thomas Hardy (disambiguation) Thomas Hardy, OM (2 June 1840 – 11 January 1928) was a novelist, short story writer, and poet of the naturalist movement, who delineated characters struggling against their passions and circumstances. ... Gerard Manley Hopkins (July 28, 1844 - June 8, 1889) was a British Victorian poet and Jesuit priest. ... For other uses, see Dorset (disambiguation). ... A dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος, dialektos) is a variety of a language used by people from a particular geographic area. ...

Barnes had a strong interest in language; he was fluent in Greek, Latin and several modern European languages. He called for the purification of English by removal of Greek, Latin and foreign influences so that it might be better understood by those without a classical education. For example, the word "photograph" (<Gk. light+writing) would become "sun-print" (<Saxon). Other terms include "wortlore" (botany), "welkinfire" (meteor) and "nipperlings" (forceps). The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ...

This 'Pure English' resembles the 'blue-eyed English' later adopted by the composer Percy Grainger. Percy Aldridge Grainger (8 July 1882 – 20 February 1961) was an Australian-born pianist, composer, and champion of the saxophone. ...

Barnes's poems are characterised by a singular sweetness and tenderness of feeling, deep insight into humble country life and character, and an exquisite feeling for local scenery.

• William Barnes' Grave

See also

• Anglish
• Languages in the United Kingdom
• British literature

William Barnes was born on the 22nd February 1801 and died 7th October 1886. he wrote over 800 poems and much other work incliding a comprehensive English grammar quoting from more than 70 different languages. He was also a friend of Alfred Lord Tennyson. Anglish is a form of constrained writing in English in which words with Greek, Latin, and Romance roots are replaced by Germanic ones. ... The United Kingdom does not have a constitutionally defined official language. ... British literature is literature from the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man and the Channel Islands. ...

References

• This article incorporates public domain text from: Cousin, John William (1910). A Short Biographical Dictionary of English Literature. London, J.M. Dent & sons; New York, E.P. Dutton.
• See The Rebirth of England and the English: The Vision of William Barnes by Andrew Phillips ISBN 1898281173