The Wordhord : Daily Life in Old English

An entertaining and illuminating collection of weird, wonderful, and downright baffling words from the origins of English—and what they reveal about the lives of the earliest English speakers Old English is the language you think you know until you actually hear or see it. Unlike Shakespearean English or even Chaucer's Middle English, Old English—the language of Beowulf —defies comprehension by untrained modern readers. Used throughout much of Britain more than a thousand years ago, it is rich with words that haven't changed (like word ), others that are unrecognizable (such as neorxnawang , or paradise), and some that are mystifying even in translation ( gafol-fisc , or tax-fish). In this delightful book, Hana Videen gathers a glorious trove of these gems and uses them to illuminate the lives of the earliest English speakers. We discover a world where choking on a bit of bread might prove your guilt, where fiend-ship was as likely as friendship, and where you might grow up to be a laughter-smith. The Wordhord takes readers on a journey through Old English words and customs related to practical daily activities (eating, drinking, learning, working); relationships and entertainment; health and the body, mind, and soul; the natural world (animals, plants, and weather); locations and travel (the source of some of the most evocative words in Old English); mortality, religion, and fate; and the imagination and storytelling. Each chapter ends with its own "wordhord"—a list of its Old English terms, with definitions and pronunciations. Entertaining and enlightening, The Wordhord reveals the magical roots of the language you're reading right now: you'll never look at—or speak—English in the same way again.

An entertaining and illuminating collection of weird,wonderful, and downright baffling words from the origins ofEnglish-and what they reveal about the lives of the earliestEnglish speakers Old English is the language you think youknow until you actually hear or see it. Unlike ShakespeareanEnglish or even Chaucer's Middle English, Old English-the languageof Beowulf-defies comprehension by untrained modernreaders. Used throughout much of Britain more than a thousand yearsago, it is rich with words that haven't changed (likeword), others that are unrecognizable (such asneorxnawang, or paradise), and some that are mystifyingeven in translation (gafol-fisc, or tax-fish). In thisdelightful book, Hana Videen gathers a glorious trove of these gemsand uses them to illuminate the lives of the earliest Englishspeakers. We discover a world where choking on a bit of bread mightprove your guilt, where fiend-ship was as likely as friendship, andwhere you might grow up to be a laughter-smith. TheWordhord takes readers on a journey through Old English wordsand customs related to practical daily activities (eating,drinking, learning, working); relationships and entertainment;health and the body, mind, and soul; the natural world (animals,plants, and weather); locations and travel (the source of some ofthe most evocative words in Old English); mortality, religion, andfate; and the imagination and storytelling. Each chapter ends withits own "wordhord"-a list of its Old English terms, withdefinitions and pronunciations. Entertaining and enlightening,The Wordhord reveals the magical roots of the languageyou're reading right now: you'll never look at-or speak-English inthe same way again.

"An entertaining and illuminating collection of weird, wonderful, and downright baffling words from the origins of English--and what they reveal about the lives of the earliest English speakers. Old English is the language you think you know until you actually hear or see it. Unlike Shakespearean English or even Chaucer's Middle English, Old English--the language of Beowulf--defies comprehension by untrained modern readers. Used throughout much of Britain more than a thousand years ago, it is rich with words that haven't changed (like word), others that are unrecognizable (such as neorxnawang, or paradise), and some that are mystifying even in translation (gafol-fisc, or tax-fish). In this delightful book, Hana Videen gathers a glorious trove of these gems and uses them to illuminate the lives of the earliest English speakers. We discover a world where choking on a bit of bread might prove your guilt, where fiend-ship was as likely as friendship, and where you might grow up to be a laughter-smith. The Wordhord takes readers on a journey through Old English words and customs related to practical daily activities (eating, drinking, learning, working); relationships and entertainment; health and the body, mind, and soul; the natural world (animals, plants, and weather); locations and travel (the source of some of the most evocative words in Old English); mortality, religion, and fate; and the imagination and storytelling. Each chapter ends with its own "wordhord"--a list of its Old English terms, with definitions and pronunciations. Entertaining and enlightening, The Wordhord reveals the magical roots of the language you're reading right now: you'll never look at--or speak--English in the same way again"-- Provided by publisher