How far back in time can you understand English? This site goes back by centuries allowing you to test yourself.

https://lemmy.ca/post/60857723

How far back in time can you understand English? This site goes back by centuries allowing you to test yourself. - Lemmy.ca

Lemmy

Around 1200, I start having a little trouble, but I can still read most of it fairly well. 1100 is when I start to lose a lot of it, struggling through. 1000 is what I remember from trying to write papers on this stuff in University wherein I’d use translated copies side by side.

Maybe I can go back further than some others because I’m so damned old. 🤣

1300 was the end for me, at least reading at a reasonable pace. I might have squeezed out another century or two, parsing together context and other clues, but that is only through the benefit of knowing the story being told.