hel: transition from oe written old english. hel: transition from oe presence of norse increases...

HEL: TRANSITION FROM OE

Written Old English

HEL: TRANSITION FROM OE

• Presence of Norse increases grammatical confusion in the spoken language

• But not significantly in the written language

Written Old English

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Examples of grammatical mistakes in manuscripts towards the end of the Old English period

Confusion of the endings –an, -on, -en, -um

Ic wille on þǽm hors hám rídan - verb infinitive

I want to ride home on that horse 

Wé ridon tó wuda - past plural We rode to the wood

Ic wille, þæt gé hám ríden – present subjunctive

I want you (pl) to ride home (I want that you ride ...)

Hé hæfð þæt hors swíðe geriden - past participle

We have ridden the horse hard

Wé ridon on hwítum horsum - dative plural

We rode on white horses

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Examples of grammatical mistakes in manuscripts towards the end of the Old English period

Ic wille on þǽm hors hám rídan - verb infinitive

I want to ride home on that horse 

Wé ridan tó wuda - past plural We rode to the wood

Ic wille, þæt gé hám rídan – present subjunctive

I want you (pl) to ride home (I want that you ride ...)

Hé hæfð þæt hors swíðe geridan - past participle

We have ridden the horse hard

Wé ridan on hwítan horsan - dative plural

We rode on white horses

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Examples of grammatical mistakes in manuscripts towards the end of the Old English period

Examples of grammatical mistakes in manuscripts towards the end of the Old English period

From the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle:

Written Old English

1053On þisum geare wæs se cyning on Winceastre on Eastran

Examples of grammatical mistakes in manuscripts towards the end of the Old English period

From the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle:

Translation of this and the next slides can be found at http://www.hi.is/~peturk/KENNSLA/11/texts/thisyear.html

1081On þisum geare se cyng lædde fyrde in to Weala

Examples of grammatical mistakes in manuscripts towards the end of the Old English period

From the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle:

1096On þison geare heold se cyng Wilelm his hired to Xpes mæssan on Windlesoran

Examples of grammatical mistakes in manuscripts towards the end of the Old English period

From the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle:

1122On þis geare wæs se king Heanri on Cristes mæssan on Northwic

Examples of grammatical mistakes in manuscripts towards the end of the Old English period

From the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle:

1137Ðis gear for þe king Stephne ofer sæ to Normandi

Examples of grammatical mistakes in manuscripts towards the end of the Old English period

From the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle:

NORSE LOANWORDS

Written Old EnglishWritten Old and Middle English

NORSE LOANWORDS

Old Norse loanwords begin to enter the spoken language

Old Norse loanwords begin to enter the written language

Written Old and Middle English

NORSE LOANWORDS

spoken written

Why the difference?

What had happened in the meantime?

The French had arrived!

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