This volume is dedicated to the memory of professor Jacek Fisiak – one of the leading figures in English linguistics in Poland and beyond. For more than 40 years, he taught at Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, where he established a stronghold of English studies. He built numerous international connections and promoted interdisciplinary studies; he was always willing to support young scholars. His efforts were appreciated with medals, awards, honorific titles, and mentoring positions amongst academic bodies.
In six parts we collected a tribute to Professor Fisiak’s life output, including his biography, writings, and personal memoirs by colleagues and friends; followed by scholarly papers. The contributions mirror the wide scope of Jacek Fisiak’s interests: Old and Middle English literature, historical linguistics, reflections on Earlier English adapted to the 20th and 21st centuries, and, finally, studies on the structure of English in the modern period. The Epilogue comes full circle with a Blake travesty paying tribute to his memory, “Fisiak! Fisiak! Carrying light…”