What happens when medieval scholarship meets YouTube? More than a million people find themselves listening to Middle English.
Students from the University of Kent’s MA in Medieval and Early Modern Studies have reached a global audience after appearing in a video by American YouTuber Xiaoma (@xiaomanyc), whose channel boasts more than seven million subscribers. Filmed in the historic town of Sandwich, the video has already attracted over 1.07 million views, introducing audiences around the world to the sights, sounds and language of medieval England.
Dressed in full medieval re-enactment costume, the students welcomed Xiaoma as he explored Sandwich while attempting to speak Middle English. The visit included a stop at the Sandwich Medieval Centre, where history, language and public engagement came together in a thoroughly entertaining—and surprisingly educational—encounter.
The video captures the enthusiasm and expertise of our students as they demonstrate that medieval languages are far from “dead”. Instead, they remain vibrant subjects that can spark curiosity well beyond the classroom, reaching audiences who may never have encountered Middle English before.
Keep an eye out for MA student Leo, who greets him at 3:53, and wonderful alumnus, Christian, who appears outside the medieval tavern (from around 8:15), showcasing an impressive command of Middle English pronunciation. His expertise in medieval phonology will soon be put to even greater use, as he prepares to lead the pronunciation element of a new public workshop at the Sandwich Medieval Centre. The workshop is expected to launch in the coming months and will offer visitors the chance to hear—and speak—the language of medieval England for themselves.
The collaboration perfectly reflects the ethos of Medieval and Early Modern Studies at Kent: combining cutting-edge research with innovative public engagement, while bringing the medieval past to life for new audiences. Whether through teaching, outreach or digital media, our students are demonstrating that medieval studies continue to have a vibrant place in the twenty-first century.