What to expect
English is a language shaped by migration, invasion, cultural contact, and empire, and understanding that history can make you a sharper editor. In this session, Senior Editor Jo MacGugan traces the story of English from the period leading up to Old English all to the technological advances and inclusive language movements reshaping the language today. Along the way, you'll gain a deeper appreciation for why English works the way it does, how it survived by borrowing from and adapting other languages, and how that understanding quietly shows up in your editorial work.
What you'll learn
How significant moments in history shaped the English we use today
How contact with other languages influenced English's development and versatility
Why English has survived and thrived through centuries of change
How a deeper understanding of the language's history enriches your perspective as an editor
Meet the speaker
Jo MacGugan
Senior Editor | Dragonfly Editorial
Jo MacGugan is a senior copy editor with a background as varied as the language she loves. After managing proposals for an energy consulting firm and editing STEM materials and alumni communications at Tufts University's School of Engineering, she earned a Ph.D. in medieval studies at the University of Connecticut, where she also taught academic writing and edited for the peer-reviewed Journal of Medieval Religious Cultures. She joined Dragonfly Editorial in 2020 and was promoted to senior copy editor in 2022, bringing expertise across healthcare, engineering, education, finance, and more. Her first book, a study of social memory in fourteenth-century Ireland, was published in 2023.
Ready to see the English language with fresh eyes?
Join Jo for a session that will deepen your appreciation for the language you work with every day. Secure your spot today.
$49.99