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Medieval Talk

9 years ago

Can anyone here give me some examples of medieval English dialects? It would be greatly appreciated.

Medieval Talk

9 years ago

https://archive.org/stream/sirgawainandgre00neilgoog#page/n16/mode/2up

Here's a raw sample in the beginning of this version of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and a full translation after. I haven't read it myself, so I can't tell you much about it.

Medieval Talk

9 years ago

YAr, yar. The great pirate strikes yer top hats off with a fake parrot. 

Medieval Talk

9 years ago

"Thou art a hole of asse."

"Checketh thyself before thou dost wreck thyself."

"I HAVE STRICKEN THEE AS A BALL OF WRECKING!"

"Mine wench hath worn trousers with the bottom of an apple, (pantaloons!)

Boots with skin of bear, (Skin of bear!)

The tavern-goers cast their gaze upon her.

She struck the earth (She struck the earth! She struck the earth!)

Wench went far, far, far, far far, far below!"

Medieval Talk

9 years ago

Your post reminds me of this one Twitter/IFunny account...

Medieval Talk

9 years ago

Shakespeare lyrics? (sub to betaband on ifunny)

Medieval Talk

9 years ago
I don't know if this is what you're exactly asking for, but here are a few "rules" I use to mimic Medieval speech:

Put an e on the end of some words, sometimes doubling the final consonant. For instance, "man" becomes "manne".

Third person present verbs get a -th or -eth ending. For instance, "I speake", but "he speaketh".

Second person present verbs get an -st or -est ending. For instance, "thou speakest".

Singular you becomes thou. Plural you becomes ye.

The possessives my and thy become mine and thine before a word starting with a vowel or h. For instance, "my sonne", but "mine eyes" or "thine hand".


Again, you asked for examples and not some sort of formula, so I'm not sure this even helps you. But I figured I might share this anyway.

Medieval Talk

9 years ago

It helps a great deal. Thank you.

Do they still use words like "you" every now and then?

Medieval Talk

9 years ago
"You" was used as the formal form of "thou", and could also take the place of "ye" (usually as the object).

Medieval Talk

9 years ago

Actually, Old English doesn't have a definitive spelling. In fact, I don't think there were very many well-known spellings until the dictionary was invented. So it could be written "Manne" "Mann" "Man" "Mehn" depending on the accent and background of the writer in question. So you could have all sorts of fun with olde-timey spellings. One of my stories follows the exploits of a bunch of mercernaries that call themselves, "Thee Extraordinarie Advenchuringe Partie fore Hier", and nobody mistakes them for complete illiterates because nobody knew the right way to spell it. Grammar Nazis wouldn't have survived back then...

Medieval Talk

9 years ago

I always love reading extremely aged poetry for the use of old English. Try to decipher this number-

Our antecessowris that we suld of reide,
And hald in mynde thar nobille worthi deid,
We lat ourslide throu verray sleuthfulnes,
And castis us ever till uther besynes.
Till honour ennymyis is our haile entent,
It has beyne seyne in thir tymys bywent.
Our ald ennemys cummyn of Saxonys blud,
That nevyr yeit to Scotland wald do gud,
But ever on fors and contrar haile thar will,
Quhow gret kyndnes thar has beyne kyth thaim till.
It is weyle knawyne on mony divers syde,
How they haff wrocht in to thar mychty pryde,
To hald Scotland at undyr evermar,
Bot God abuff has maid thar mycht to par.
Yhit we suld thynk one our bearis befor,
Of that parablys as now I say no mor.
We reide of ane rycht famous of renowne,
Of worthi blude that ryngis in this regioune,
And hensfurth I will my proces hald,
Of Wilyham Wallas yhe haf hard beyne tald.

Medieval Talk

9 years ago

Our anticessories that we sold of raid

And had in mind the noble worthy deed

We _____ through very sleuthfulness

And 

It has been seen in the times bywent

Our old enemies coming of Saxon's blood

That never yet to Scotland would do good

But ever on fours and ____ hail their will

How great kindness there has been ___ ___ 'til

It is while no one on many ___ side

How othey have wrought into their mighty pride

To halt Scotland at under evermore

both god above has made their might to par.

Yet we should think one of our ____ before

of that parable as no I say no more.

We ride of any right famous fo renown

Of worthy build that rings in this region

And henceforth I will my process halted.

Of William Wallas you have hardly been told.