Writing in Old English

[Silver]

Hey everyone, first post in this forum.
Right now, I've got to write up a good story for my uni course, and I'm quite confident that I'll do well.

However, I want to try an Old English writing style (eg, Shakespearian) because I feel my story will be well suited to the language.

I'd like your help with expanding my Shakespearian vocabulary, including names. I only have a few names in mind which seem to suit (it's set in about the 15th century). Names like Liselotte are what I'm looking for, if you know of any.

Another thing I'd like you to help me with are references. In a lot of Shakespeare's works the characters refer to the Gods and such, I'm not quite sure what they're always referring to. Any ideas on what to research?

Well, any help appreciated.

[Earthbound01]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Early_Modern_English

http://www.bardweb.net/grammar/grammar.html

http://www.nosweatshakespeare.com/

http://www.kidzworld.com/article/3989-shakespearean-glossary

Post the story when you're done.

[Silver]

I will, definitely.
If anyone else has any experience writing in the medium, please do post.
My ideal story is eloquent enough to be artistic, but simple enough to understand.

[Silver]

Fucking awesome, I lol'd several times.
Any tips you could pass on to me?

EDIT: Just realised it was copypasta. It's a nice bit of work anyway, though.

[Silver]

Back from my b& hiatus.
Decided not to go ahead with it. Too many reasons, but the most important was that it wouldn't get me enough marks.
So, baby aborted.

[water bottle]

Hello, I am here to split hairs.

Shakespearean English is not Old English. Shakespearean English is Early Modern English. Old English was the language spoken in Anglo-Saxon inhabited areas of England until about the 12th century.

:).

[Dog]

Ah, yes! Writing in a language that none of your readers will understand, and that you yourself don't even know, is surely a brilliant idea.

:facepalm:

[Dog]

Cloudcat, don't plagiarize. :rolleyes:

Is it really that hard to provide a link or, at the very least, to use quotes when you use someone else's work?

[Dog]

It's not copywritten, so it isn't plagiarism.

Who even cares? Fuck you.

Plagiarism and copyright violations are entirely different things, dumbass. You plagiarized, using someone else's work to try to make yourself appear clever.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plagiarism

[meta]

*Walks into thread thinking about 40's*

*Finds out the truth...and walks out*

[Rolf]

However, I want to try an Old English writing style (eg, Shakespearian) because I feel my story will be well suited to the language.

Shakespearian English is Early Modern English and has nothing whatsoever to do with Old English, states Sir Rolf, grandmaster of Old English!

[water bottle]

Shakespearian English is Early Modern English and has nothing whatsoever to do with Old English, states Sir Rolf, grandmaster of Old English!

I already said that, you twat.

[rabbitweed]

Where away lies the poster? I would unto him give advice good and soothly, would he not but scribe here gain.

[water bottle]

Where away lies the poster? I would unto him give advice good and soothly, would he not but scribe here gain.

Shutteth ye uppe ye trappe, ye cunt.

[water bottle]

Also, PRETENTIOUS FAG THREAD ALERT

[Venta]

Shutteth ye uppe ye trappe, ye cunt.

"Ye" addresses multiple people directly, just so thou knowest. Except, of course, on signs reading "Ye Olde...", where the Y stands in stead for the letter Thorn, which was missing from the first European printing presses imported into England at a time before use of the classical TH became popular.

[rabbitweed]

"Ye" addresses multiple people directly, just so thou knowest. Except, of course, on signs reading "Ye Olde...", where the Y stands in stead for the letter Thorn, which was missing from the first European printing presses imported into England at a time before use of the classical TH became popular.

Thou scribe'st right and soothly

Also, this is making me want to read Chaucer. I need a pronounciation guide though.

EDIT: Ha, this makes it sound weirdly like Afrikaans.

[Dog]

"Ye" addresses multiple people directly, just so thou knowest. Except, of course, on signs reading "Ye Olde...", where the Y stands in stead for the letter Thorn, which was missing from the first European printing presses imported into England at a time before use of the classical TH became popular.

I never knew. Great post.

[Eridani]

Julius: Your pardon; did I break thy concentration?...

I know you copied it but it's still awesome so you get a thanks.

[water bottle]

:confused: I have absolutely no recollection whatsoever of making those last two posts :confused:.

"Ye" addresses multiple people directly, just so thou knowest. Except, of course, on signs reading "Ye Olde...", where the Y stands in stead for the letter Thorn, which was missing from the first European printing presses imported into England at a time before use of the classical TH became popular.

+1 for thou.

[rabbitweed]

"Ye" addresses multiple people directly, just so thou knowest. Except, of course, on signs reading "Ye Olde...", where the Y stands in stead for the letter Thorn, which was missing from the first European printing presses imported into England at a time before use of the classical TH became popular.

Slight correction (overcorrection?) though...

"Ye" is for the object of the sentence. Like, "I give unto ye". You is for the subject of the sentence, "You shall know".

You/Ye was also used as a sign of respect. If you addressed a person as you, it was meant to signify their importance (similar to Sie/du in German, Vous/Tu in French, Jullie/Jij (prob spelt wrong) in Dutch, etc).

[Dog]

:confused: I have absolutely no recollection whatsoever of making those last two posts :confused:.



+1 for thou.

You've fallen pretty hard into the ol' drunk-posting game, eh? You made some random post in that "Overrated movies" thread where you said, "Look at me! I'm drunk on the internet again!"

Just imagine what you've done on Facebook.

[Dog]

Slight correction (overcorrection?) though...

"Ye" is for the object of the sentence. Like, "I give unto ye". You is for the subject of the sentence, "You shall know".

You/Ye was also used as a sign of respect. If you addressed a person as you, it was meant to signify their importance (similar to Sie/du in German, Vous/Tu in French, Jullie/Jij (prob spelt wrong) in Dutch, etc).

I thought "thee" was the object form of "you". Does that go back to the "thorn" letter Venta mentioned?

[rabbitweed]

I thought "thee" was the object form of "you". Does that go back to the "thorn" letter Venta mentioned?

Nope.


2nd person singular subject: thou
2nd person singular object: thee
2nd person plural subject: you
2nd person plural object: ye

[Dog]

Ah...English. :thumbsup: