Languages that are spoken by a group of people tend to evolve into characteristic forms and incorporate words from other languages as well as new words created to describe new situations or objects. Hence the version of English spoken and written in the United States has evolved into what it is today; likewise for the version spoken in Australia. Indeed, read Chaucer's Canterbury Tales in the original middle English if you can. You will find it quite different from the English spoken today in Britian. What follows is part of the Knight's Tale in Middle English and in modern English:
859 Whilom, as olde stories tellen us,
Once, as old histories tell us,
860 Ther was a duc that highte Theseus;
There was a duke who was called Theseus;
861 Of Atthenes he was lord and governour,
He was lord and governor of Athens,
862 And in his tyme swich a conquerour
And in his time such a conqueror
863 That gretter was ther noon under the sonne.
That there was no one greater under the sun.
864 Ful many a riche contree hadde he wonne;
Very many a powerful country had he won;
865 What with his wysdom and his chivalrie,
What with his wisdom and his chivalry,
866 He conquered al the regne of Femenye,
He conquered all the land of the Amazons,
867 That whilom was ycleped Scithia,
That once was called Scithia,
868 And weddede the queene Ypolita,
And wedded the queen Ypolita,
869 And broghte hire hoom with hym in his contree
And brought her home with him into his country
870 With muchel glorie and greet solempnytee,
With much glory and great ceremony,
871 And eek hir yonge suster Emelye.
And also her young sister Emelye.
872 And thus with victorie and with melodye
And thus with victory and with festivity
873 Lete I this noble duc to Atthenes ryde,
I leave this noble duke riding to Athens,
874 And al his hoost in armes hym bisyde.
And all his host in arms beside him.
875 And certes, if it nere to long to heere,
And certainly, if it were not too long to hear,
876 I wolde have toold yow fully the manere
I would have told you fully the manner
877 How wonnen was the regne of Femenye
How the reign of Femenye was won
878 By Theseus and by his chivalrye;
By Theseus and by his chivalry;
879 And of the grete bataille for the nones
And of the great battle at that time
880 Bitwixen Atthenes and Amazones;
Between Athenians and Amazons;
881 And how asseged was Ypolita,
And how Ypolita was besieged,
882 The faire, hardy queene of Scithia;
The fair, bold queen of Scithia;
883 And of the feste that was at hir weddynge,
And of the festivity that was at their wedding,
884 And of the tempest at hir hoom-comynge;
And of the storm at her home-coming;
885 But al that thyng I moot as now forbere.
But all that matter I must now forgo.
886 I have, God woot, a large feeld to ere,
I have, God knows, a large field to till,
887 And wayke been the oxen in my plough.
And the oxen in my plow are weak.
888 The remenant of the tale is long ynough.
The remnant of the tale is long enough.
889 I wol nat letten eek noon of this route;
Also I will not hinder any one of this company;
890 Lat every felawe telle his tale aboute,
Let every fellow tell his tale in turn,
891 And lat se now who shal the soper wynne;
And let's see now who shall win the supper;
892 And ther I lefte, I wol ayeyn bigynne.
And where I left off, I will again begin.
With a little work, one can read and understand what is written. |