The Evolution of Language

[warooa]

Not really (sort of) following on from the thread that's evolved into Altar Boy Bob's Latin translation, I read an interesting quote from Geoffry Chaucer.

Famous as being the first bloke to be able to talk proper English, Chaucer came out with some crackers that have survived over the centuries like: It is nought good a slepyng hound to wake. And the classic
--shewe forth thyn ers, and lat the frere se - which is roughly translated as "Show forth your arse, and let the friar see

This quote explains wonderfully the evolution of language, which is a topic sometimes touched upon within the vernaculated confines of this forum.

Interesting . . .

Ye knowe eek, that in forme of speche is chaunge
With-inne a thousand year, the wordes tho
That hadden prys, now wonder nyce and straunge
Us thinketh hem, and yet thei spake hem so

Ther is so Gret Diversite In Englissh and in writing of oure tonge.

Chaucer
1380

Marty

[Zondrae]

morning all,

me thinketh that learning Chinese would be easier!

[Neville Briggs]

Which just goes to show Marty why the insistence on rigid correctness in language and writing doesn't work.

p.s. I think there's a typo in your date, 1380 might be closer to the time of Chaucer

[warooa]

Yes Nev, I agree - and thanks for pointing out my crooked date.

I just think that as traditionalists (of sorts), we shouldn't feel threatened by the pace and the change of our language. There has, and always will be change, for better or worse. I believe we should continue to celebrate the virtues of what we do. There'll always be place for quality and tradition.

Marty

[Neville Briggs]

Some of it is definitely for the worst in my book; i.e. yank speak,computer gobbledegook, political flim flam and atrocious post-modernist euphemisms.
One thing that comes out in your example is that in Chaucer's day, it appears that he called a spade a spade, or an arse an arse as the case may be.