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  • Speaking Old English

    Posted on August 13th, 2003 Rob No comments

    'Tis a fine morrow to be reading my article, come hither and learn the ways of ye olde english.

     

    Don't worry, I wont talk like that for the whole article. You may think, "why would i want to speak like that?" Well the answer is, because its fun, if you play fantasy games, its more fun if you actually speak their speak, plus it also annoys your opponents.


    Some basic words are:

    • Aye: yes
    • Nay: no
    • Hail: hello
    • Well met: response to Hail

    A good tip is to practice speaking this tongue, you may sound like an idiot, but in the end, you'll be very well spoken. now o­nto your quest for learning.

    Pronouns!
    Many people do not know how to use pronouns properly and effectively, In the most part, it is the use of thee and thou. This is easy to understand. In modern English, we do not distinguish between the subject and object case of the second person. In other words, it doesn't make a difference whether the you is doing something or having something done to him or her. o­nly the second person has lost this distinction, having been replaced with a simplified version of the second person plural. There are also some niceties of the use of possessives that do not appear in modern English but are common in old English.

    • Thou is the pronoun used for the person to whom you are speaking when that person is the subject of your sentence.
      • Example: Thou art a knave and a lout, and thou shoulds't not anger me.

      You cannot use thou as the object of a sentence.

      • Incorrect: I see thou hiding behind that tree!

      It may help to think of thou as the second-person equivalent of I.

    • Thee is the pronoun used when the person you are speaking to is the object of the verb of your sentence.
      • Example: Whilst thy head was turned, the dragon did attack thee.

      You cannot use thee as the subject of a sentence.

      • Incorrect: Thee smellest as foul as a sewer doth smell!

      It may help to think of thee as the second-person equivalent of me.

      Note: There are some dialects in which thee serves as both the object and subject case of the second person pronoun. In the real world, the old-style Quakers spoke this way – particularly to o­ne another.

    • Ye is a tricky word, and should be used with caution. In the most formal Britannian, it is used as the second-person plural subject pronoun (the second-person equivalent of we). However, most Britannians do not use the word, instead preferring to use you for both the subject and object second-person plural.
      • Example: [When speaking to a group.] Ye adventurers are heading toward Britain and did miss the turn for Skara Brae. Hear ye! Hear ye!

      Ye can also be used as the singular second-person subject pronoun, but usually o­nly in extremely formal (that is, Biblical) speech.

      Ye and you are also somtimes used as "polite" second-person subject and object pronouns in some dialects. Thus, you can use thee and thou when you would use tu in Spanish or French, and ye and you as you would the Spanish Usted or French vous. (It is from this usage that Quakers adopted using thee, the familiar, when addressing everybody to show that they held all in equal esteem.)

      Ye is also used in some dialects rather loosely, as you in both singular and plural, subject and object. This usage has more to do with accent than grammar; imagine pirates who just say ye when we would say you.

      Finally, a note o­n the word ye in the phrase "Ye Olde Weapons Shoppe." In this case, it does not mean "Your Old Weapons Shop." The thorn, (a letter which is not part of our modern alphabet), represents the letters th. The word "the" was often abbreviated "te" o­n signs, and was later corrupted to "ye." Ye in this case has nothing to do with pronouns.

    • Possessives are pretty much the same as possessives in modern English, with the addition of thy and thine for the second-person singular (to go along with thee and thou).

      My and thy indicate that the following noun belongs to me or you respectively.

      • Examples: My sword is sharp, but thy dagger is sharper. Thou dost make my [or mine, depending o­n your accent] heart beat with passion, for thy smile doth affect me as strong drink.

      Mine and thine serve as possessive pronouns, referring to that which belongs to me (in the case of mine) or you (in the case of thine), used without a following noun as a pronoun.

      • Examples: The gold in this ettins pack is mine ; but the bread and ale are thine.

      Mine and thine are also used whenever the following word starts with a vowel (or the letter h, if you speak in a dialect in which the h is not pronounced, as most Britannians do).

      • Examples: With mine arrows I slew a wretched orc. To thine own self be true.
    Britannian Pronouns
    Person Number Subject Pronoun Object Pronoun Possessive Adjective Possessive Pronoun Reflexive Pronoun
    First singular I me my/mine mine myself
    plural we us our ours ourselves
    Second singular thou thee thy/thine thine thyself
    plural you/ye you your yours yourselves
    Third singular he/she/it him/her/it his/hers/its his/hers/its himself/herself/itself
    plural they them their theirs themselves


    Verb Forms

    Verb forms are trickier still than pronouns, mostly because there are countless irregular verbs in English. What follows is a very simplified discussion of how to get your regular verbs to agree with their subjects. Following that, a few useful irregular verbs are conjugated.

    • First person: Pretty much exactly the same as in modern English. There are some peculiar Britannian constructions for example, "I needs must improve mine ability to craft bows" but such constructions are more a matter of vocabulary and diction than grammar.

      You should not add funny endings to first person verbs in any tense. This is o­ne of the most common mistakes. Just remember, when youre talking about something you did, the verb in Britainnian is the same as in Modern English.

      • Examples: I want gold. I walk to Despise. I plan to kill many harpies and ettins.
      • Incorrect: I wantest gold. I walketh to Despise. I planst to kill many harpies and ettins.
    • Second person: Here's where most of the trouble arises. Fortunately, it o­nly really arises in the present tense, and o­nly for second-person singular subject. Unfortunately, most conversation takes place in the present tense, and almost always involves the second-person singular to some degree, so you have to learn to do it right.

      With regular verbs in the present tense, add -est or -st to the end of the root to make it agree with a second-person singular subject. Add the -est if the root ends in a consonant; add the -st if the root ends in a vowel.

      • Examples: Thou eatest as a pig eats, knave. Seest thou that city yonder? Whither walkest thou? And whence comest?

      Remember, you don't need to do this for second-person plural subjects. And be sure to use the second-person endings (-est and -st), not the third-person endings.

    • Third Person: When speaking very formally, with regular verbs in the present tense, you must add -eth or -th to the root (depending o­n whether the root ends in a consonant or a vowel) to make it agree with third-person singular subjects. This is often very cumbersome, and was o­ne of the first things to go as English got modernized, so you neednt worry about it too much. You will certainly be understood by any Britannian if you ignore the "ething," but if you have the time, you might want to give it a try.
      • Example: She that walketh in stealth findeth safety.

      Because this is so cumbersome, other constructions are often used. Thus, the above example might more likely be rendered, "She that doth walk in stealth shall find safety." o­ne would also more likely say, "Thou didst have much wealth," rather than, "Thou hadst much wealth."

      Remember, you don't need to do this for third-person plural subjects.

    • The imperative mood in Britannian is identical to that of modern English.

    Here are the conjugations of three extraordinarily useful irregular verbs: be, have, and do.

    to be
    Person Present Tense Past Tense Future Tense Present Perfect Past Perfect
    I am was shall be have been had been
    thou art wert wilt be hast been hadst been
    he/she/it is was will be has been had been
    we are were shall be have been had been
    you (ye) are were will be have been had been
    they are were will be have been had been


    to have
    Person Present Tense Past Tense Future Tense Present Perfect Past Perfect
    I have had shall have have had had had
    thou hast hadst wilt have hast had hadst had
    he/she/it hath had will have has had had had
    we have have shall have have had had had
    you (ye) have have will have have had had had
    they have have will have have had had had

     

    to do
    Person Present Tense Past Tense Future Tense Present Perfect Past Perfect
    I do did shall do have done had done
    thou dost didst wilt do hast done hadst done
    he/she/it doth did will do has done had done
    we do did shall do have done had done
    you (ye) do did will do have done had done
    they do did will do have done had done


    Common Words

    addlepated muddle-headed
    an if (especially at the beginnings of sentences)
    anon soon or immediately
    aroint away
    aught any, anything, or anyone
    aye, yea yes
    een even or evening
    enow enough
    fare-thee-well, farewell good-bye
    fie a swear word
    forsooth honestly
    grammarcy thank you
    hence from here
    hie hurry, go quickly
    hight called, named
    hither to here
    leman lover
    knave deceitful, tricky o­ne (an insult)
    mayhap, perchance, belike maybe
    mettle strength, stamina, courage
    morrow morning or day
    nay no
    ner never
    oft often
    prithee, pray please
    runion testicle
    Sblood or Gods Blood a swear word
    Steeth or Gods Teeth a swear word
    thence from there
    thither to there
    verily truly
    wend walk, go
    whence from where
    wherefore why (not where)
    whither to where
    yclepped called, named
    Zounds or Zwounds a swear word meaing
    Gods Wounds


    Phrases

    okay here is a chart of a few conversations o­ne may have

    addlepated muddle-headed
    an if (especially at the beginnings of sentences)
    anon soon or immediately
    aroint away
    aught any, anything, or anyone
    aye, yea yes
    een even or evening
    enow enough
    fare-thee-well, farewell good-bye
    fie a swear word
    forsooth honestly
    grammarcy thank you
    hence from here
    hie hurry, go quickly
    hight called, named
    hither to here
    leman lover
    knave deceitful, tricky o­ne (an insult)
    mayhap, perchance, belike maybe
    mettle strength, stamina, courage
    morrow morning or day
    nay no
    ner never
    oft often
    prithee, pray please
    runion testicle
    Sblood or Gods Blood a swear word
    Steeth or Gods Teeth a swear word
    thence from there
    thither to there
    verily truly
    wend walk, go
    whence from where
    wherefore why (not where)
    whither to where
    yclepped called, named
    Zounds or Zwounds a swear word meaing
    Gods Wounds

    Phrasebook

    In the form of conversations illustrating different diction and grammar issues. Pronouns and verb forms are demonstrated throughout.

    Coming and Going (Prepositions)
    Well met, milord. Whither wendest thou?
    I came hither from Britain, Lady, and am making for Covetous this very minute.
    Wherefore goest thou thither?
    For to rid the labrynth's twisting passages of the evil that doth lurk therein.
    And when thou returnest thence?
    I shall again to fair Britain, the bounty of mine hunt for to leave in the bank there.
    Well and good then, milord. Hie thee hence! Hie thee hence! And may the Virtues smile upon thee.
    And o­n thee, milady, and may thou not be troubled overly by mongbats.

    The Rapier Wit (Insults)
    Begone, vile knave!
    Thou callest me a knave? Why, thourt a bastard and a yellow coward.
    An I'm a bastard, thourt the abominable spawn of a lizardman and a gazer.
    Poor lad, that thourt so addlepated. If thy wit were but a wee bit quicker, thou wouldst mayhap have the sense to stay indoor so as not to inflict thy face o­n the rest of us.
    Zounds! but thourt rude, Oh Leman-of-a-Liche. Prithee tell me, wherefore thinkest thou that aught but thine own abhorrent self doth care to listen to thee. Or hast thou again mistaken the size of thy sword for the measure of thine importance.
    Thourt a sewer-slurping vandal!
    And thou a harpy-loving hot-head. Have at thee!

    I Love and Have My Love Regarded
    (Courtly Forms of Address)
    Good morrow, Lady Ygraine. Thy father, my liege lord, did tell me that thou art melencholy.
    Alas, tis no good morrow for me!
    Wherefore, milady? What grief doth assail thee, and is there aught I can do to aid thee?
    I fear not, sirrah, for tis o­nly mine heart that is breaking, and for all thy mettle and might, thourt not well equipped to battle with lost love.
    Who is the knave who hath grieved thee? Give me but his name, and I will bring thee his heart, an he not give it thee willingly!
    Oh harm! Thou needs must not! Faith, I love him, though he doth not know, and twould grieve me sorer still to hear that he did suffer the least wound, than to know that he loved me not.
    And doth he love thee not?
    Itruth, Garrick, I know not. I dare not tell him of the longing in my heart, for fear that it is not returned.
    Prithee pardon, but if thou dost keep so close with thy feelings, they can never be regarded.
    But an he not love me . . .
    His name, Ygraine. Tell it me.
    Very well, sweet Garrick. I see thourt a true friend as well as a noble retainer to my father. Garrick, verily, tis thee that I love.

    Highway Robbery (Dialect in Action)
    Halt!
    Wherefore, lady?
    Gimme yer money er taste mi blade!
    By the virtues! A thief!
    Aye, a thief I be, and ye my victim are. Now drop yer gold and ifn ye wants ta live.
    But I have nothing. I'm just a simple peasant.
    A lying peasant, at that, I reckon. I heard the sweet jingle of coins as ye approached.
    Oh harm, milady! Spare me. I have worked so long as a tailor for these few coins. Prithee, leave them to me, or Ill have no food.
    I be a workin' man miself, lad. Think ye that this is easy? … Hey! Stop! Run and you die!
    Oh woe! Thou hast wounded me sore!
    Yer money, lad, and now.
    Here, scoundrel. Take it. And may thine ill-gotten wealth buy thee nothing but misery.
    If it buys me a mug of good ale, thatll suit me full well. No get ye from me, lad, afore I decide to take yer tunic, too, and send ye barebacked into town.

    Insulting someone!

    Instead of cursing at someone, really curse them. That is, wish aloud for evil things to happen to them. "A pox o­n thee and thy family" is a common curse. You can get really creative, too. For example, if youre really angry, you might say, "Knave! May thy hair fall out and thy teeth all rot; and may thy well-known ugliness be visited upon thy children, and their children, unto the tenth generation; and mayst thou find that the purses of the beast thou dost slay are empty; and, most of all, may orcs and lizardmen always look upon thee with lust in their eyes!"

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