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So I discovered that Old English is harder for me to read than Latin. Which is odd, since English is a Germanic language. I can't really read either language, but I can pick out more words from the Latin text. I did take French in high school, and know a fair number of Latin roots, so that might be why. But since modern English has a large amount of vocabulary from French and Latin, I wonder if Old English is easier for German or Dutch speakers to understand.
Old English text
Ond þā ongeat se cyning þæt, ond hē on þā duru ēode, ond þā unhēanlīce hine werede oþ hē on þone æþeling lōcude, ond þā ūt rǣsde on hine ond hine miclum gewundode; ond hīe alle on þone cyning wǣrun feohtende oþ þæt hīe hine ofslægenne hæfdon. Ond þā on þæs wīfes gebǣrum onfundon þæs cyninges þegnas þā unstilnesse, ond þā þider urnon swā hwelc swā þonne gearo wearþ, ond radost. Ond hiera se æþeling gehwelcum feoh ond feorh gebēad, ond hiera nǣnig hit geþicgean nolde; ac hīe simle feohtende wǣran oþ hīe alle lǣgon būtan ānum Bryttiscum gīsle, ond sē swīþe gewundad wæs. Þā on morgenne gehīerdun þæt þæs cyninges þegnas, þe him beæftan wǣrun, þæt se cyning ofslægen wæs, þā ridon hīe þider, ond his aldormon Ōsrīc, ond Wīferþ his þegn, ond þā men þe hē beæftan him lǣfde ǣr, ond þone æþeling on þǣre byrig mētton þǣr se cyning ofslægen læg — ond þā gatu him tō belocen hæfdon — ond þā þǣrtō ēodon. Ond þā gebēad hē him hiera āgenne dōm fēos ond londes, gif hīe him þæs rīces ūþon; ond him cȳþdon þæt hiera mǣgas him mid wǣron, þā þe him from noldon. Ond þā cuǣdon hīe þæt him nǣnig mǣg lēofra nǣre þonne hiera hlāford, ond hīe nǣfre his banan folgian noldon. Ond þā budon hīe hiera mǣgum þæt hīe gesunde from ēodon; ond hīe cuǣdon þæt tæt ilce hiera gefērum geboden wǣre þe ǣr mid þām cyninge wǣrun. Þā cuǣdon hīe þæt hīe hīe þæs ne onmunden 'þon mā þe ēowre gefēran þe mid þām cyninge ofslægene wǣrun.' Ond hīe þā ymb þā gatu feohtende wǣron oþ þæt hīe þǣrinne fulgon ond þone æþeling ofslōgon; ond þā men þe him mid wǣrun, alle būtan ānum, sē wæs þæs aldormonnes godsunu; ond hē his feorh generede, ond þēah hē wæs oft gewundad.
Other Germanic languages appear like gibberish to the typical native English speaker. Old English very much so. On the other hand, a typical native English speaker will already be familiar with a sizeable quantity of Latin vocabulary, so it's not surprising at all that you'll see more recognizable words in a Latin text. Furthermore, Latin derived words in other Germanic languages are probably more readily recognizable than Germanic words that have etymologies in common with English words.
English is still undeniably a Germanic language. A language is not the sum of its vocabulary, and words of Germanic origin are still the most used, by far, in everyday conversation. The geographic isolation of English from other Germanic languages is also a major factor behind its differences.
English is still undeniably a Germany language. A language is not the sum of its vocabulary, and words of Germanic origin are still the most used, by far, in everyday conversation. The geographic isolation of English from other Germanic languages is also a major factor behind its differences.
English is like a mix of Germanic and Latin, with a bit more Germanic influence than Latin
I think Basque is a very interesting language. Nobody knows where it came from or why it's so isolated. Perhaps it was the indigenous Iberian language in the area before the Latins came
i am of british english speaking heritage, you are a guest to my language and culture, so you listen to what i have to say
All while making like 50,000 spelling errors in one sentence lol. I bet he really feels like **** when a "foreingor" like me spells and has better grammar in his own language than him.
All while making like 50,000 spelling errors in one sentence lol. I bet he really feels like **** when a "foreingor" like me spells and has better grammar in his own language than him.
but ur a guest to our langauge . as someone from english spekaing heritage i can speak MY langauge however I choose to do so ,
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