> > Does anyone know any webpages where I can find something about Old
Englis=
> > h/Anglo-Saxon?
>
> Googling will do the job, but it won't tell you about Early Modern
English.
>
There's a book called A Guide to Old English (I got mine at amazon.com),
which is very interesting to read, though I just go through it for fun and
don't really have a clue. It's kind of a lot to pay if you just want an
overview ($35) though.
-Kendra
http://www.refrigeratedcake.com
http://www.refrigeratedcake.com/comics/theatre -- Vade Mecum (comic)
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Cowan" <jcowan@...>
To: <CONLANG@...>
Sent: Saturday, November 02, 2002 5:02 PM
Subject: Re: Some things
> Balazs Sudar scripsit:
>
> > I have now seen a little bit through Tolkien's Lord Of The Rings. He's
us=
> > ing for the language of the Gondorians some kind of English mixed with
Ol=
> > d English words. I have the question anyone knowing for sure abot these
t=
> > hings (excuse me if they are silly questions, I'm not very good in
Englis=
> > h):
>
> Several people have posted on your detailed questions, but nobody (AFAIK)
> has pointed out that what is appearing here is a mixture of Modern English
> and Early Modern English, 16th-17th century stuff, still easily accessible
> to the educated.
>
> Real Old English, 800-1066 or so, is another kettle of fish altogether.
> It *is* used in the LotR to represent the native language of the Rohirrim:
> "Waesthu Theoden hal!" e.g. "Let the king ["Theoden" is a poetic word for
> "king", like all the names of the Mark's kings] be hale/healthy!"
>
> > - Verb forms like 'hast' 'shalt' etc. Where there any common forms for
th=
> > e verbs in sing. 2nd and 3rd person, like in other languages?
> > - Personal pronouns: 'thou' and 'ye' are the sing. and pl. forms of
'you'=
> > ? acc. and dative are 'thee' in sing. but what's the form in pl.?
>
> "You" was the old acc pl, which has displaced all the other forms.
>
> --
> Winter: MIT, John Cowan
> Keio, INRIA, jcowan@reutershealth.com
> Issue lots of Drafts.
http://www.ccil.org/~cowan
> So much more to understand!
> Might simplicity return? (A "tanka", or extended
haiku)
>
>