what does the word Anglo-Saxon mean?

Zleep   Wed Dec 14, 2005 9:07 am GMT
i did not find it in the dictionary (i used an oxford dictionary i fond at home)
Brennus   Wed Dec 14, 2005 9:18 am GMT
Anglo-Saxon originally referred to two Germanic tribes from the north sea coast of Germany, the Angles and the Saxons. It is also a synonym for the English people in general and any of the peoples who live in the colonies they founded: U.S. , Canada, Australia etc.

Broadly speaking, Anglo-Saxon , the way some Americans use it, even includes the Scandinavians, the Celtic Scots, Irish and Welsh and even the French and French Huegonauts.
Brennus   Wed Dec 14, 2005 9:20 am GMT
Huegonauts > Hugonauts (French Protestants).
Travis   Wed Dec 14, 2005 9:23 am GMT
I assume you mean Huguenots, Brennus. I'm not one to normally correct people's spelling, *but* in your case, I will make an exception.
Damian in Edinburgh   Wed Dec 14, 2005 9:24 am GMT
Hello!

See if these links assist you in any way. I cannot understand why you could not find a definition of Anglo Saxon in your dictionary, especially as you say it was an Oxford. Never mind.....basically: a member of any of the West Germanic tribes (Angles, Saxons and Jutes) that settled in Britain from the 5th century AC and were dominant until the Norman Conquest. AS was also the Language of these tribes.

Nowadays the term AS refers to any white person whose Language is English (I take issue with that but there you go) and whose cultural affiliatios are those common to Britain and the USA (I'm quoting here!).

In the UK anyway, Anglo Saxon can refer to plain speaking, especially that containing rich swear words and taboo expressions.

http://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayJournal?jid=ASE

http://great-britain.co.uk/history/ang-sax.htm

http://bubl.ac.uk/docs/bibliog/biggam/
Damian   Wed Dec 14, 2005 9:25 am GMT
affiliations
bernard   Wed Dec 14, 2005 11:27 am GMT
In french (I think in spanish too : "anglosajon"). Ths word anglo-saxon is used in its modern meaning to describe the english based-cultures and countries; but it doesn't mean that we think that all of them are descent of English or British people, it is mainly about language, culture and political use.
We never use the word in a "ethnic/racial" meaning.
Antonio   Wed Dec 14, 2005 12:33 pm GMT
Bernard: glad you mentioned that "never ethnic/racial"...
Sigma   Wed Dec 14, 2005 1:28 pm GMT
In french (I think in spanish too : "anglosajon"). Ths word anglo-saxon is used in its modern meaning to describe the english based-cultures and countries; but it doesn't mean that we think that all of them are descent of English or British people, it is mainly about language, culture and political use.
We never use the word in a "ethnic/racial" meaning.

Yes in Spanish: "Anglo-Sajón" (Anglo-Saxon) is used to refer all the people who has English as mother lenguage despite their ethnic or race.
Sander   Wed Dec 14, 2005 3:24 pm GMT
=>We never use the word in a "ethnic/racial" meaning. <=

And this forum is living proof of that...'' Sarcastic LOL.''
Joe   Fri Feb 17, 2006 5:30 pm GMT
Genius! Sheer Genius, all of you guys just gave the meaning in it's original word form but take the word Saxon, which is a Latin word, follow it's root back in history and you'll find it has it's origins in ancient hebrew, (persians were light skinned people of the north) The word Saxon's means "Sons of Isaac." ENJOY KEEP STUDYING!!! YOU'LL GET IT SOMEDAY!
Stan   Fri Feb 17, 2006 6:06 pm GMT
I really don't think its that difficult to get resources on Anglo-Saxon at libraries and on the internet, I even remember studying volumes of books on the history of Anglo-Saxons in high school.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Saxon

(and those recommened by Damian)

You can start from those above links, you just have to be prepared to do a lot of reading, brief comments on this forum won't give you much help.
Adam   Fri Feb 17, 2006 7:45 pm GMT
Three tibes - Angles, Saxons and Jutes. The Saxons and Jutes were the two biggest.
Fredrik from Norway   Sat Feb 18, 2006 1:52 am GMT
Anglo-Saxon:
1. A member of the Germanic people(s) that lived in present England from their conquest and settlement in the 4th-5th-6th century untill today.
2. An adjective used to describe the language of the Anglo-Saxons (Old English) or England between the Anglo-Saxon conquest and 1066.
3. An adjective used to describe the general English-speaking world.
Jewels   Mon Mar 26, 2007 5:13 pm GMT
What Does The Saxons Mean
Like I Mean What Is It In A Different Language
Is It Like "Rulers On The East"? Or
Something! Please Some One Help Me
Out I Have A Big Project Due Tommorow And
I Cant Find Out What It Means!
-Thank You, Jewels