How far back in time can you understand English?

2 days ago

The text is an experiment showcasing the evolution of the English language over a thousand years through a fictional blog post.
The blog post starts in modern English (2000) and progressively shifts to older forms, ending in Old English (1000).
Key linguistic changes include spelling variations, grammar shifts, and the introduction of archaic letters like thorn (þ) and yogh (ȝ).
The narrative follows a blogger visiting Wulfleet, whose language and experiences become increasingly archaic and eerie.
The text highlights how English has remained relatively stable in the last 300 years but becomes unrecognizable beyond the 13th century.
Old English (pre-1100) is heavily inflected and Germanic, making it difficult for modern readers to understand.
The blogger's journey ends in a supernatural encounter with a wolf-like 'Master' in Wulfleet, blending language evolution with a gothic tale.
The experiment illustrates how vocabulary, grammar, and cultural context shape our comprehension of historical texts.

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