ST Alpha - "Reading Tolkein's translation of the Green Knight poem and I went back to the original text to see how different it was. It's still English, right? " (Reading a Post)

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Reading Tolkein's translation of the Green Knight poem and I went back to the original text to see how different it was. It's still English, right?

Posted by Ender Aug 2 '21, 23:30

Þat is grattest in grene when greuez ar bare,
And an ax in his oþer, a hoge and vnmete,
A spetos sparþe to expoun in spelle, quoso myȝt.
Þe lenkþe of an elnȝerde þe large hede hade,
Þe grayn al of grene stele and of golde hewen,
Þe bit burnyst bryȝt, with a brod egge
As wel schapen to schere as scharp rasores,
Þe stele of a stif staf þe sturne hit bi grypte,
Þat watz wounden wyth yrn to þe wandez ende,

Responses:

old or middle english -- nm - . Aug 3, 04:45 1
- Middle English...gives new meaning to English as a second language. -- nm - . Aug 3, 05:14
(This is why you really need to learn Latin if you ever plan to time travel.) -- nm - Ender Aug 2, 23:33 4
- ... -- (pic) - Beryllium Aug 2, 23:39 [Attachment] 3
  - learn hebrew, that goes back 5,000 years, and I don't think its changed as much as english (had to read Chaucer which seemed like a foreign mash up) -- nm - zeitgeist Aug 3, 00:24 2
    - I'd argue that from about 500 BC till the 19th century you're much more likely to find someone who knows Latin in most locations. -- nm - Ender Aug 3, 02:32 1
      - Latin wouldn't do you much good until about 200BCE. -- nm - Reagen Aug 3, 02:37

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Reading Tolkein's translation of the Green Knight poem and I went back to the original text to see how different it was. It's still English, right?

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