Natasha  ðŸ‡ªðŸ‡ºFeb 22

How far back in time can you understand English?

It’s a thousand years of the English language, compressed into a single blog post.

"... as his post goes on, his language gets older. A hundred years older with each jump. The spelling changes. The grammar changes. Words you know are replaced by unfamiliar words, and his attitude gets older too, as the blogger’s voice is replaced by that of a Georgian diarist, an Elizabethan pamphleteer, a medieval chronicler."

https://www.deadlanguagesociety.com/p/how-far-back-in-time-understand-english

#english #language

How far back in time can you understand English?

An experiment in language change

Dead Language Society
Show threadKevin LaRose,aka GrumpasaurusFeb 22
@Natasha_Jay @WeirdWriter This I’ve got to read, but it needs to be done on the Braille display. I’m currently working my way through the daily diary of a Brit named Samuel Pepys from the year 1666. As far as I know it’s presented just as he wrote it, and it’s fascinating to see how certain words have evolved from then to now. Also grammatical changes. If I tried to read it in audio it would be a slog.
Show threadMab_813

@Thumper1964 @Natasha_Jay @WeirdWriter

For those interested, Samuel Pepys is also in the Fediverse: @samuelpepys

He's a 17th century guy so he can really be a sexist asshole. He's an interesting person to follow, not many people from the 17th century around here ;-)

Feb 22 at 4:58pmWeb
Show threadKevin LaRose,aka GrumpasaurusFeb 22
@Mab_813 @Natasha_Jay @WeirdWriter @samuelpepys Sexist asshole is right! On many days in his diary he very strongly insinuates that he practices, shall we say, extracurricular activities with many women not his wife. Still fascinating, though. Definitely a different time and place.