Reading English from 1000 Ad

4 days ago

A viral post explores understanding English from 1000 AD to 2000 AD, sparking interest in older forms of English.
Readers find English from 1200 AD foreign and incomprehensible, but the author argues Old English is closer to Modern English than often thought.
The author provides a step-by-step analysis of an Old English text, modernizing orthography and identifying cognates to show its intelligibility.
Key steps include updating letters to modern equivalents (e.g., 'þ' to 'th'), replacing cognates, and modernizing phrases.
Despite some unique Old English grammar and vocabulary, much of the text becomes understandable with context and minor adjustments.
The author concludes Old English, while distinct, is closer to Modern English than commonly believed, though it requires study.

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