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Some things

From:Balazs Sudar <conlang@...>
Date:Saturday, November 2, 2002, 12:21
Hi all!

I have a few question concerning some poetical and linguistical things. (Maybe a little OT)

I have now seen a little bit through Tolkien's Lord Of The Rings. He's using for
the language of the Gondorians some kind of English mixed with Old English
words. I have the question anyone knowing for sure abot these things (excuse me
if they are silly questions, I'm not very good in English):

- Verb forms like 'hast' 'shalt' etc. Where there any common forms for the verbs
in sing. 2nd and 3rd person, like in other languages?
- Personal pronouns: 'thou' and 'ye' are the sing. and pl. forms of 'you'? acc.
and dative are 'thee' in sing. but what's the form in pl.?
- Is 'nay' simply an older form of 'no'?
- Using 'whence' and 'thence', 'yestereve' and 'yesteryear' is normal today, or is archaic?
- What do 'ere', 'hearken', 'naught', 'nigh', 'thus' mean?
- Can 'for' still be used instead of 'because' and 'save' instead of 'exept for'?
- What does 'Would it were not so!' mean?
- He uses 'fair' very often for good, beautiful, etc. He uses 'dwell' for
'live'. Are they common today?

Are the older forms Old English?

Another linguistical question:
Can anyone write the verb forms of Old English/Anglo-Saxon (I don't know when they
begun to use only 2 forms), when they still existed?

And the last one:
Does anyone know any webpages where I can find something about Old English/Anglo-Saxon?

Thank you indeed!
        Balazs
--
I lúme vin deí asi mosted!
May Heaven give you its grace!

Balazs Sudar <conlang@...>

Replies

Muke Tever <mktvr@...>
John Cowan <jcowan@...>
Wesley Parish <wes.parish@...>