Once again I heard somebody—at a university, of all places—refer to Shakespeare’s language as Old English. That drives me crazy. It is not Old English. It isn’t even Middle English. Shakespeare is Modern English, folks. It’s early Modern English, true, but Modern nonetheless. I’ve posted this before, but it’s worth looking at again. Everybody knows the Lord’s Prayer. Here it is in the REAL Old English, as well as in Middle English and in Shakespeare’s early Modern English. Lord’s Prayer in Old English (About the year 1000—around the time Beowulf was written) Fæder ure þu þe eart on heofonum si þin nama gehalgod tobecume þin rice gewurþe þin willa on eorðan swa swa on heofonum urne gedæghwamlican hlaf syle us to dæg and forgyf us ure gyltas swa swa we forgyfað urum gyltendum and ne gelæd þu us on costnunge ac alys us of yfele. soþlice. Lord’s Prayer in Middle English (About the year 1384—Chaucer’s time) Oure fadir þat art in heuenes halwid be þi name; þi reume or kyngdom come to be. Be þi wille don in herþe as it is doun in heuene. yeue to us today oure eche dayes bred. And foryeue to us oure dettis þat is oure synnys as we foryeuen to oure dettouris þat is to men þat han synned in us. And lede us not into temptacion but delyuere us from euyl. Amen. Lord’s Prayer in Early Modern English (About the year 1602—Shakespeare’s time) Our Father which art in heauen, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdome come. Thy will be done euen in earth, as it is in heauen. Giue vs this day our daily bread. And forgiue vs our debts, as we also forgiue our debters. And lead vs not into tentation, but deliuer vs from euill. Amen.
Posted on: Sun, 15 Sep 2013 20:37:34 +0000
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