149
How far back in time can you understand English? (www.deadlanguagesociety.com)
submitted 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) by to c/neat@lemmy.world
37 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

Very entertaining. I’m totally lost around 1400. I don’t even recognize 1200 as English lol.

you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 3 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Is it some kind of social commentary that the writer seems progressively more superstitious and easily frightened as the centuries roll back?

Dude talks about a walk back to his B&B like he's a Hobbit dodging nazguls

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 4 points 7 months ago

    Yep! For instance, the author discusses the changes from a blog post to a letter from 2000 - 1800. As they move back in time, both the language and also the themes and form change to match the style of literature and culture of the time.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent