Old English

Gwaimir Windgem · 06-06-2003, 11:35 PM

I've been wanting to learn some Old English for quite some time, not least for incorporation into my stories. I was wondering if anyone here knew a good site where I could find out about Old English, especially good word lists and naming rules?

Ruinel · 06-07-2003, 12:36 AM

Do you know bicce? hehehehe

means female dog

Or... blod?

means blood

Or...bitan?

means to cut into with teeth, pierce

These are Old English words you can find in your own dictionary.

I do not know a site to learn the Old English though.

Gwaimir Windgem · 06-07-2003, 12:44 AM

You already informed us of "bicce".

I was rather hoping from that that you were something of an OE expert but alas! it seems it is not so.

I found some web sites with word lists, but they aren't very all-encompassing. And I need to know how to put OE words together to make OE names, as well.

Ruinel · 06-07-2003, 12:47 AM

No.. I have only picked up a few words from ... err... eheh...*nervous smile* ...reading the dictionary... oh, damn... I am now labeled a total geek... soon, people will be asking me to bite the heads off of chickens

Gwaimir Windgem · 06-07-2003, 12:58 AM

Heads off chicken....

(Don't worry, I've certainly done that on occassion...

)

Ruinel · 06-07-2003, 01:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Gwaimir Windgem
Heads off chicken....

(Don't worry, I've certainly done that on occassion...)

A 'geek' is actually the name given to a side show performer in a traveling circus. They performed different, odd, things such as biting the heads off of live chickens.

Gwaimir Windgem · 06-07-2003, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ruinel

Eep! Um, no, I don't mean THAT!

I mean reading the Dictionary!

Ruinel · 06-07-2003, 01:30 AM

*huge obvious sigh of relief*

wow... ok... that is better.

congressmn · 06-07-2003, 06:27 AM

i learnt a lot of my archaic from the legend of zelda

Shadowfax · 06-07-2003, 11:29 AM

Here's a site that I have been enjoying for a while (I too want to learn Old English (Anglo-Saxon) and my goal is to read Beowulf in its original form one day!).

Ða Engliscan Gesiþas. They have sound files, and the beginning of a course, and lots of other cool tidbits. Have fun!

Shadowfax · 06-07-2003, 11:55 AM

Here's another site I just found: Old English Language and Grammar

Sheeana · 06-07-2003, 06:07 PM

I seem to remember that Huan learned Old English, but I could be wrong. Perhaps you could try PMing him, to find out if he has any useful resources?

Gwaimir Windgem · 06-07-2003, 06:09 PM

Sounds like a plan.

Thanks for the links, Shadowfax. I'm sure they'll prove useful, as well.

***Khamûl*** · 06-07-2003, 11:16 PM

I read a translation of Beowulf one time that had old English on the left and modern English on the facing page, so you could compare the two. That was cool.

Huan · 06-08-2003, 04:28 PM

I did indeed learn Old English, but as I am technophobic, I would rather refer you to books than sites. The one to beat is Bright's Old English, which sadly is out of print, but you could look for it in libraries or order it from a bookstore or Amazon. For good practice, an Old-English edition of Beowulf is helpful (and entertaining, and very enlightening with regard to Professor Tolkien). Good editions of Beowulf: Klaeber, who declines to offer a translation but provides an excellent glossary with which you have to do it yourself (that's what we used in class), or C.L. Wrenn, who does offer a translation AND a glossary. There is also Beowulf: A Student Edition, which provides the original text and a glossary, but rather than giving a translation it's covered in notes to help you translate it yourself.

Shadowfax · 06-08-2003, 08:23 PM

Thanks for those book recommendations, Huan. I think I will be looking around for some of those during the summer.

Gwaimir Windgem · 06-09-2003, 12:41 AM

Thanks, I'll investigate right away!

Legolas_Frodo_Aragorn · 06-09-2003, 04:02 PM

we're reading shakespear in english

Coney · 06-09-2003, 04:04 PM

Read Sir Thomas Mallory's - Le Morte D'Arthur.......yer'll be spouting Old English like Mandorallen from the Belgariad books after that

Huan · 06-09-2003, 04:15 PM

Coney, I'm afraid Malory is nowhere near Old English. He's in fact several decades later than Chaucer, so he's kind of in this transitional area between Middle and Early Modern English.

06-06-2003, 11:35 PM	#1
Gwaimir Windgem Dread Mothy Lord and Halfwitted Apprentice Loremaster Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, CA Posts: 10,820	Old English I've been wanting to learn some Old English for quite some time, not least for incorporation into my stories. I was wondering if anyone here knew a good site where I could find out about Old English, especially good word lists and naming rules? __________________ Crux fidelis, inter omnes arbor una nobilis. Nulla talem silva profert, fronde, flore, germine. Dulce lignum, dulce clavo, dulce pondus sustinens. 'With a melon?' - Eric Idle

06-07-2003, 12:44 AM	#3
Gwaimir Windgem Dread Mothy Lord and Halfwitted Apprentice Loremaster Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, CA Posts: 10,820	You already informed us of "bicce". I was rather hoping from that that you were something of an OE expert but alas! it seems it is not so. I found some web sites with word lists, but they aren't very all-encompassing. And I need to know how to put OE words together to make OE names, as well. __________________ Crux fidelis, inter omnes arbor una nobilis. Nulla talem silva profert, fronde, flore, germine. Dulce lignum, dulce clavo, dulce pondus sustinens. 'With a melon?' - Eric Idle

06-07-2003, 12:58 AM	#5
Gwaimir Windgem Dread Mothy Lord and Halfwitted Apprentice Loremaster Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, CA Posts: 10,820	Heads off chicken.... (Don't worry, I've certainly done that on occassion...) __________________ Crux fidelis, inter omnes arbor una nobilis. Nulla talem silva profert, fronde, flore, germine. Dulce lignum, dulce clavo, dulce pondus sustinens. 'With a melon?' - Eric Idle

06-07-2003, 06:27 AM	#9
congressmn Incharge: neighbourhood security Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: on my 499th post Posts: 481	i learnt a lot of my archaic from the legend of zelda __________________ i am nothing. i am a cold stone, which deceives with the light it reflects, giving illusions of warmth.

06-07-2003, 11:29 AM	#10
Shadowfax The Fleet-Footed Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: British Columbia Posts: 913	Here's a site that I have been enjoying for a while (I too want to learn Old English (Anglo-Saxon) and my goal is to read Beowulf in its original form one day!). Ða Engliscan Gesiþas. They have sound files, and the beginning of a course, and lots of other cool tidbits. Have fun! __________________ Jesus saved me "To remain ignorant of things that happened before you were born is to remain a child" (Cicero, 106-43 B.C.) "Art is a lie which makes us realize the truth" (Picasso)

06-07-2003, 12:47 AM	#4
Ruinel Banned Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: I have no idea. Posts: 5,441	No.. I have only picked up a few words from ... err... eheh...nervous smile ...reading the dictionary... oh, damn... I am now labeled a total geek... soon, people will be asking me to bite the heads off of chickens

06-07-2003, 01:30 AM	#8
Ruinel Banned Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: I have no idea. Posts: 5,441	huge obvious sigh of relief wow... ok... that is better.

06-07-2003, 11:55 AM	#11
Shadowfax The Fleet-Footed Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: British Columbia Posts: 913	Here's another site I just found: Old English Language and Grammar __________________ Jesus saved me "To remain ignorant of things that happened before you were born is to remain a child" (Cicero, 106-43 B.C.) "Art is a lie which makes us realize the truth" (Picasso)

06-07-2003, 06:07 PM	#12
Sheeana Lord of the Pants Join Date: Apr 2003 Posts: 1,382	I seem to remember that Huan learned Old English, but I could be wrong. Perhaps you could try PMing him, to find out if he has any useful resources?

06-07-2003, 06:09 PM	#13
Gwaimir Windgem Dread Mothy Lord and Halfwitted Apprentice Loremaster Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, CA Posts: 10,820	Sounds like a plan. Thanks for the links, Shadowfax. I'm sure they'll prove useful, as well. __________________ Crux fidelis, inter omnes arbor una nobilis. Nulla talem silva profert, fronde, flore, germine. Dulce lignum, dulce clavo, dulce pondus sustinens. 'With a melon?' - Eric Idle

06-07-2003, 11:16 PM	#14
*Khamûl* Slacker Warrior Admin Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,759	I read a translation of Beowulf one time that had old English on the left and modern English on the facing page, so you could compare the two. That was cool. __________________ "If the giving of information is to be the cure of your inquisitiveness, I shall spend all the rest of my days in answering you." Gandalf to Pippin Psalm 107:31

06-08-2003, 04:28 PM	#15
Huan Elven Warrior Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Oxford, MS Posts: 274	I did indeed learn Old English, but as I am technophobic, I would rather refer you to books than sites. The one to beat is Bright's Old English, which sadly is out of print, but you could look for it in libraries or order it from a bookstore or Amazon. For good practice, an Old-English edition of Beowulf is helpful (and entertaining, and very enlightening with regard to Professor Tolkien). Good editions of Beowulf: Klaeber, who declines to offer a translation but provides an excellent glossary with which you have to do it yourself (that's what we used in class), or C.L. Wrenn, who does offer a translation AND a glossary. There is also Beowulf: A Student Edition, which provides the original text and a glossary, but rather than giving a translation it's covered in notes to help you translate it yourself.

06-08-2003, 08:23 PM	#16
Shadowfax The Fleet-Footed Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: British Columbia Posts: 913	Thanks for those book recommendations, Huan. I think I will be looking around for some of those during the summer. __________________ Jesus saved me "To remain ignorant of things that happened before you were born is to remain a child" (Cicero, 106-43 B.C.) "Art is a lie which makes us realize the truth" (Picasso)

06-09-2003, 12:41 AM	#17
Gwaimir Windgem Dread Mothy Lord and Halfwitted Apprentice Loremaster Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Thomas Aquinas College, Santa Paula, CA Posts: 10,820	Thanks, I'll investigate right away! __________________ Crux fidelis, inter omnes arbor una nobilis. Nulla talem silva profert, fronde, flore, germine. Dulce lignum, dulce clavo, dulce pondus sustinens. 'With a melon?' - Eric Idle

06-09-2003, 04:02 PM	#18
Legolas_Frodo_Aragorn The Elven Queen Of All Pyros Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Im like a little bug stuck in the lamp...never going anywhere Posts: 795	we're reading shakespear in english __________________ Would you judge my future based on what i did in the past? Procrastinators Unite!!!.....tomorrrow.... Kids in backseats cause accidents...accidents in backseats cause kids As long as there are tests..there will be prayers in school

06-09-2003, 04:04 PM	#19
Coney The Buddy Rabbit Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Trapped in the headlights.. Posts: 3,372	Read Sir Thomas Mallory's - Le Morte D'Arthur.......yer'll be spouting Old English like Mandorallen from the Belgariad books after that __________________ Blessed are the cracked, they let the light in Beatallica

06-09-2003, 04:15 PM	#20
Huan Elven Warrior Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Oxford, MS Posts: 274	Coney, I'm afraid Malory is nowhere near Old English. He's in fact several decades later than Chaucer, so he's kind of in this transitional area between Middle and Early Modern English.

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