Do old/dead languages get discussed on Veeky Forums at all? Anyone know or currently learning one?
I'm interested in studying Old English and am trying to find resources. My first thought was to look for university's course websites. However, instruction in Old English seems to be rare with the only school websites I can find belonging to UTexas and Virginia, the latter recommending "A Guide to Old English" by Mitchell/Robinson. Has anyone used this? Is there a better beginner’s text or companion reader?
This may not be a great suggestion because I'm a casual, but Tolkien's translation of Beowulf comes with a collection of lecture notes on his old English course which translates Beowulf. They're a bit scattered, but it's something
Noah Flores
I've been meaning to read his translation, so I'll pick that up. Thanks
Brandon Fisher
I enjoyed it, and even quickly comparing it to other translations, he put a lot of effort into making the poem flow, while other translations tend to just translate with no thought put into the end result. It's really nice
Luke Jenkins
Fuck Old English
t. Guilliam le Conqueror
Sebastian Lewis
Whats easier, Latin or Ancient Greek? Should I learn first modern or ancient Greek?
Nicholas Gomez
To quote a Latin professor, "the point of this course is to teach you Latin, and English". As a native English speaker, I assume Latin is easier
Asher Young
Seconding this. 10+ years of latin in school, and I learned more about English from that than from any English course I took.
Jordan Gutierrez
If you're a native English speaker, then Latin will be much easier. Regardless of your native language, you should learn Latin before Greek.
Ayden Carter
Definitely Latin before Greek. The alphabet is familiar, and the grammar is a good deal more straightforward (no middle voice or aorist tense).
Too bad the last traces will be gone in a couple of generations, just like Manx and Cornish if the revivals don't pick up.
Joseph Price
I suspect you saved this gif from me on /int/
Jose Johnson
I'm taking a course on the History of the English Language next semester and I'm pretty stoked
Asher Cox
Is it true that Frisian is the closest relative of English? I speak both English and German and want to learn Dutch, so i've noticed many similarities from both languages.
How close is Frisian to modern Dutch anyway?
Andrew Thompson
What do you think of Williaum le Conquerunt and his 1066 reforms of the English language?
Aiden Jackson
>Is it true that Frisian is the closest relative of English?
Of Old English maybe The closest relative of post-1066 English is French
Kevin Edwards
Eh. I happen to like Middle English quite a bit; the real damage came from the fact that the Norman Conquest set back English literature about 300 years.
The real trouble came in the Early Modern period when all of those Renaissance fags started piling on the Greek- and Latinisms. That's where our language got fucked
dumb frog >ist gestattet learn 2 passive voice
Kevin Howard
...
James Wilson
>Is it true that Frisian is the closest relative of English? Yes in case of genetics and the native Anglo-Saxon vocabulary
Adam Martinez
>Norman Conquest set back English literature about 300 years That's a bit silly, the Normans brought many changes to the literature including religiosity, culture, and genre. The changes persisted even after French/Latin gave way to English writing.
Easton White
What I mean to say is that actual English-language literature almost disappeared overnight after the Norman conquest and it took centuries to make a return to its former prominence
Aaron Nguyen
>current year >not opting for Sanskrit You're a bigot, Harry
Cameron Ward
Odd, it sounds like a Yorkshire accent mixed with Cornish
