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General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Seeker on October 25, 2003, 04:54:03 AM

Title: Scandanavians?
Post by: Seeker on October 25, 2003, 04:54:03 AM

Any of you heard of the "Canterbury tales"?

It's recognised as the first literature written in "English"; as opposed to Anglo Saxon of Norman French.

The English "think" they can read it; but actually it needs study and translation to really understand it.

I showed it to my Danish wife; and her first question was "Why are you studying old Norsk"?; to my surprise; she could read it about as well as the average Brit.

Interesting to see the links in the languages.

You can find excerpts here (http://www.librarius.com/cantales.htm)

Title: Scandanavians?
Post by: Wilbus on October 25, 2003, 07:58:32 AM

Don't understand all of it as I'm Swedish and that is old norwegian but understand enough. Can clearly see the norwegian words in it.

Title: Scandanavians?
Post by: LLv34_Snefens on October 25, 2003, 08:07:46 AM

I can see some of the words reminding af Old Norse, but it's still hard to make sense.

But you don't have to go that far back to see the heritage of the Danelag (Dane's Law). Just look at the towns in england ending on -by or -thorpe. Even some of the weekdays are named after Norse gods, most noticeable with thursday and friday (Thor and Frigg/Freja), but supposedly also wednesday that in old english was wodensday after Odin. (In danish the resemblance is more clear, onsdag)

Title: Scandanavians?
Post by: majic on October 25, 2003, 08:12:41 AM

Had to read it in college.  (heavily annotated of course)   It would have been nicer if the "tales" were interesting.

By the by, wasn't it Old English?  (meaning it was the language eventually became what we know today)

Title: Scandanavians?
Post by: udet on October 25, 2003, 10:18:14 AM

those look like SAT words :eek:

Title: Scandanavians?
Post by: cpxxx on October 25, 2003, 10:36:41 AM

There is apparently a part of Holland or Belgium where they still speak something quite resembling old English.  English does originate in that part of the world. There was an entertaining programme on the British Discovery channel recently that came to the conclusion that the English are in fact just a bunch of foreigners and invaders.

Give back England to the Celts, or the Iceni or whoever:D  

There are those who say that American English is in fact essentially an older version of the English spoken in Britain today. Proper Kings English in other words.  Cut off as they are out there in the colonies. Americans have preserved English as she should be spoke!  Bet you never thought that Americans were in fact speaking better English the the Brits? An interesting idea.

Title: Scandanavians?
Post by: Nilsen on October 25, 2003, 11:59:27 AM

Ah yes, i can understand most of it.

Title: Scandanavians?
Post by: Gadfly on October 25, 2003, 12:07:31 PM

cpxxx, that is especially true of the Appalachians, hidden up in the hollers, you can hear English spoken as it was in the 17th Century in England.

Title: Scandanavians?
Post by: straffo on October 26, 2003, 01:07:22 PM

It's  full of french too.

Title: Scandanavians?
Post by: Swoop on October 26, 2003, 01:24:04 PM

No it's not old English.

See A guide to old English, by Bruce Mitchell (an Australian) ISBN 0631226362.

(http://image1ex.villagephotos.com/extern/640697.jpg)

Title: Scandanavians?
Post by: takeda on October 26, 2003, 02:27:13 PM

You start looking at this and end up writing Lord of the Rings.

Being a "maths & science" guy, I still love languages and find JRR Tolkien's biography as amazing as his writings.

Im not norse, but can really understand most of it too :)

Title: Scandanavians?
Post by: midnight Target on October 26, 2003, 02:56:43 PM

Its pornography I tell ya!

Quote

Hir thoughte it swal so soore aboute hir herte
 That nedely som word hir moste asterte;

scandalous!!