Quote:
Originally Posted by Katsunami
Thanks for mixing up my brain. I was taught that Shakespeare was in late Middle English, and Chaucer was Old English... so I've told some people that I can read Old English. I may have actually said so on this forum.
I can read English all the way back to Chaucer (slower than current-day English obviously, but without much difficulty), but not before, so assuming what you are saying is true, I must adjust some stuff over here. I've looked up the Old English you mentioned (which I didn't even know existed), and I understand zilch. Nada.
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No, Chaucer is Middle English, which was in use from about the 12th Century, up to around about 1470, when it evolved into Early Modern English, which in turn was in use until about 1650, and was the language of Shakespeare.
Old English, which is sometimes called "Anglo-Saxon", preceded Middle English. It's the language that "Beowulf" is written in.