How to Learn Old English
Learn about special characters., Use a textbook., Start reading Beowulf., Keep a glossary available., Watch for kennings.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Learn about special characters.
Old English includes many of the same letters that we use today, but it also features some unusual characters.
Become familiar with these characters so that you will know how to pronounce them, but bear in mind that despite the fact that "true Ænglisc," or "true Old-English," used Runes, rather than the Latin script, Runes were dropped before the Middle-English Era in favor of the Latin Script, though modified, as you will see next.
One other letter, the Medial(Long-)Es was added by the time of the Early-Modern English, otherwise known as its derogatory name: "King-James-English;" it has been added to the following list so that you may recognize it, when reading old English texts: Ææ = this is an Æsh and it sounds like the “a” in “hat(American Pronunciation)” Ðð =this is an Ed and it sounds like the “th” in “weather,” or "the;" Eth fell out of favor, in place of thorn
-- eth was created by drawing a line through a "d," and in writing, you can either write a "d," and draw a line through it, that it looks like a "đ(d-stroke,)" or the classic way, as a backwards six with a stroke through it Þþ = this is a Þorne and it sounds like the "th" in "thorn," however the previous letter, eth, fell out of favor, and was replaced with either "th" or thorn, by the time of Middle English, soon thorn suffered the same fate... ſ ʃ = this is a "Medial-'S,'" or "Long-'S.'" The Long-Es was created as an equal to the primary form of the Greek letter Sigma; the Medial-Es functions exactly the same as the Final-Es, which replaced the Medial-Es
-- "stress," by in the time of Early-Modern/Late-Middle English was written: "ſtreſs," the word "blessings" was written: "bleſſings;" as you have probably figured out, the Capital-'S' was the same, and the Lowercaſe-'s' were the same as they are today
-- "s" only came at the end of a word, it is a "Final-Es." The "ʃ," not to be confused with the African Esh(Sʃ,) was the design of the Medial-Es not common in English, this design was mostly used in Germany. -
Step 2: Use a textbook.
A textbook on Old English can help you to learn more about the language as you read Beowulf.There are many different textbooks on Old English available and consulting the websites of different scholars who teach the language can help you identify different options that might work for you.Some areas you’ll want any textbook to cover are the Old English:
Alphabet Pronunciation Vocabulary Sentence structure and grammar Word forms, Beowulf is well-known and easy to find, so this will be the best text to start with as you attempt to teach yourself Old English.
Find a copy that includes both the Old English text and the modern English translation.
You may find it helpful to go line by line.
Read the Old English version and then look at its modern English translation.
Many line by line or word by word translations are also available online.You can even find a copy of Beowulf online.
Websites for universities such as Oxford or the University of Texas have Beowulf and other Old English texts available., Chances are that you’ll run into words in your textbook and other Old English readings that you don’t understand.
Having a glossary at your fingertips can help you understand the text more effectively and quickly.Purchase an Old English dictionary or glossary in a bookstore.
Search for online glossaries.
Many universities, such as the University of Pennsylvania, offer internet dictionaries and glossaries in Old English., Kennings are common features of Old English poetry and there are more than a thousand kennings in Beowulf.
Kennings take two words from the Old English language and combine them to create a new word that means something different.
Kennings were a way for poets to play with language in interesting ways.For example, in Beowulf, the ocean is referred to as “hwælweg” which translates to “whale road” and the human body is referred to as ”bānhūs” which translates to bone house. -
Step 3: Start reading Beowulf.
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Step 4: Keep a glossary available.
-
Step 5: Watch for kennings.
Detailed Guide
Old English includes many of the same letters that we use today, but it also features some unusual characters.
Become familiar with these characters so that you will know how to pronounce them, but bear in mind that despite the fact that "true Ænglisc," or "true Old-English," used Runes, rather than the Latin script, Runes were dropped before the Middle-English Era in favor of the Latin Script, though modified, as you will see next.
One other letter, the Medial(Long-)Es was added by the time of the Early-Modern English, otherwise known as its derogatory name: "King-James-English;" it has been added to the following list so that you may recognize it, when reading old English texts: Ææ = this is an Æsh and it sounds like the “a” in “hat(American Pronunciation)” Ðð =this is an Ed and it sounds like the “th” in “weather,” or "the;" Eth fell out of favor, in place of thorn
-- eth was created by drawing a line through a "d," and in writing, you can either write a "d," and draw a line through it, that it looks like a "đ(d-stroke,)" or the classic way, as a backwards six with a stroke through it Þþ = this is a Þorne and it sounds like the "th" in "thorn," however the previous letter, eth, fell out of favor, and was replaced with either "th" or thorn, by the time of Middle English, soon thorn suffered the same fate... ſ ʃ = this is a "Medial-'S,'" or "Long-'S.'" The Long-Es was created as an equal to the primary form of the Greek letter Sigma; the Medial-Es functions exactly the same as the Final-Es, which replaced the Medial-Es
-- "stress," by in the time of Early-Modern/Late-Middle English was written: "ſtreſs," the word "blessings" was written: "bleſſings;" as you have probably figured out, the Capital-'S' was the same, and the Lowercaſe-'s' were the same as they are today
-- "s" only came at the end of a word, it is a "Final-Es." The "ʃ," not to be confused with the African Esh(Sʃ,) was the design of the Medial-Es not common in English, this design was mostly used in Germany.
A textbook on Old English can help you to learn more about the language as you read Beowulf.There are many different textbooks on Old English available and consulting the websites of different scholars who teach the language can help you identify different options that might work for you.Some areas you’ll want any textbook to cover are the Old English:
Alphabet Pronunciation Vocabulary Sentence structure and grammar Word forms, Beowulf is well-known and easy to find, so this will be the best text to start with as you attempt to teach yourself Old English.
Find a copy that includes both the Old English text and the modern English translation.
You may find it helpful to go line by line.
Read the Old English version and then look at its modern English translation.
Many line by line or word by word translations are also available online.You can even find a copy of Beowulf online.
Websites for universities such as Oxford or the University of Texas have Beowulf and other Old English texts available., Chances are that you’ll run into words in your textbook and other Old English readings that you don’t understand.
Having a glossary at your fingertips can help you understand the text more effectively and quickly.Purchase an Old English dictionary or glossary in a bookstore.
Search for online glossaries.
Many universities, such as the University of Pennsylvania, offer internet dictionaries and glossaries in Old English., Kennings are common features of Old English poetry and there are more than a thousand kennings in Beowulf.
Kennings take two words from the Old English language and combine them to create a new word that means something different.
Kennings were a way for poets to play with language in interesting ways.For example, in Beowulf, the ocean is referred to as “hwælweg” which translates to “whale road” and the human body is referred to as ”bānhūs” which translates to bone house.
About the Author
Evelyn Myers
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