Macro: Old English to New english - Page 2

BenG · 01-26-2009, 11:39 PM

Of course Elizabethan English is considered Modern English. Old English is what Beowulf was written in. Even Chaucer (Whan that Aprill, with his shoures soote the droghte of March hath perced to the roote ) is not Old English but Middle English.

RickyMaveety · 01-27-2009, 12:46 AM

When you are right, you are right. Middle it is.

HarryT · 01-27-2009, 02:25 AM

Absolutely - "Canterbury Tales" is Middle English. It's complicated by the fact, however, that like all educated men of his day, Chaucer was trilingual, speaking English, French (the language still spoken by the Royal court at the time), and Latin, and CT makes liberal use of both French and Latin.

ffred · 09-15-2011, 02:22 PM

I find reading books written in the early 1800's much less hampered by elaborate mannerisms than those written in the Victorian era. Good example: Admiral Burney, whose book on the early explorers, written in about 1803, is still an entertaining read. So is Thomas Jefferson. Good writing is independent of time, and I say, "hands off!"
ffred

bobcdy · 09-15-2011, 10:10 PM

I thoroughly agree that it's best to keep the old words; part of the reason to read old books is to savor the flavor of the text. The old words also broaden one's appreciation of the evolution of language. Translating obsolete or out-of-favor words would only be appropriate if one is producing an edition for easy reading by children, or perhaps for introductory textbooks (but why would anyone want to produce such textbooks).

I often work with really old English science books dating back to the late 1600s and very early 1700s, and I know that trying to substitute modern equivalents for numerous commonly used words in these books would be enormously difficult, and probably would produce many errors because of faulty decisions about appropriate substitutes.

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01-26-2009, 11:39 PM	#16
BenG Home Guard Posts: 4,730 Karma: 86721650 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Alpha Ralpha Boulevard Device: Kindle Oasis 3G, iPhone 6	Of course Elizabethan English is considered Modern English. Old English is what Beowulf was written in. Even Chaucer (Whan that Aprill, with his shoures soote the droghte of March hath perced to the roote ) is not Old English but Middle English.

01-27-2009, 12:46 AM	#17
RickyMaveety Holy S**T!!! Posts: 5,213 Karma: 108401 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: San Diego, California!! Device: Kindle and iPad	When you are right, you are right. Middle it is.

01-27-2009, 02:25 AM	#18
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Absolutely - "Canterbury Tales" is Middle English. It's complicated by the fact, however, that like all educated men of his day, Chaucer was trilingual, speaking English, French (the language still spoken by the Royal court at the time), and Latin, and CT makes liberal use of both French and Latin.

09-15-2011, 02:22 PM	#19
ffred Enthusiast Posts: 28 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2010 Device: Pocketbook IQ 701	I find reading books written in the early 1800's much less hampered by elaborate mannerisms than those written in the Victorian era. Good example: Admiral Burney, whose book on the early explorers, written in about 1803, is still an entertaining read. So is Thomas Jefferson. Good writing is independent of time, and I say, "hands off!" ffred

09-15-2011, 10:10 PM	#20
bobcdy Fanatic Posts: 527 Karma: 1048576 Join Date: May 2009 Device: bebook; prs-950; nook simple touch; HTC Jetstream tablet	I thoroughly agree that it's best to keep the old words; part of the reason to read old books is to savor the flavor of the text. The old words also broaden one's appreciation of the evolution of language. Translating obsolete or out-of-favor words would only be appropriate if one is producing an edition for easy reading by children, or perhaps for introductory textbooks (but why would anyone want to produce such textbooks). I often work with really old English science books dating back to the late 1600s and very early 1700s, and I know that trying to substitute modern equivalents for numerous commonly used words in these books would be enormously difficult, and probably would produce many errors because of faulty decisions about appropriate substitutes.

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