þǣre cwenes Ænglisc
October 19, 2010 8:12 AM   Subscribe

The BBC presents a wee Flash gubbins that discusses the history of the English language in ten parts.
posted by Dim Siawns (15 comments total) 28 users marked this as a favorite
 
Þat be þe fyne Gubbinſ o'Ædœbe Ƒlæſħ indeed.
posted by East Manitoba Regional Junior Kabaddi Champion '94 at 8:25 AM on October 19, 2010 [1 favorite]


Cute. Although I'm reading a book at the moment that suggests Old English predates the Angle/Jute/Saxon invasions, which totally blew my mind.
posted by Summer at 8:53 AM on October 19, 2010


Sweet...
posted by Alexandra Kitty at 9:11 AM on October 19, 2010


Long shot, but does anyone know where I can find a dramatized history of English the BBC did a few years ago from the point of view of a sentence? I think the sentence was "I want to go home".
posted by Leon at 9:13 AM on October 19, 2010


Listen, if it hadn't been for Offa's victories at Hereford you'd be speaking Welsh now, chum.
posted by Abiezer at 9:13 AM on October 19, 2010 [1 favorite]


While it's pretty cool, late 90's era mystery meat navigation like that makes my brain hurt. I'd have thought the BBC web team would know better.
posted by Happy Dave at 9:16 AM on October 19, 2010 [1 favorite]


The BBC is under attack!
posted by Artw at 9:17 AM on October 19, 2010


Ah, actually if you click the '?' at top right, it labels everything.
posted by Happy Dave at 9:18 AM on October 19, 2010


Excuse me, did you say Jutes?
posted by emelenjr at 9:19 AM on October 19, 2010 [2 favorites]


Listen, if it hadn't been for Offa's victories at Hereford you'd be speaking Welsh now, chum.

Well, reading and writing it, maybe. Like most humans, I think I lack the complex, mutant vocal apparatus necessary to actually speak it.
posted by jedicus at 9:24 AM on October 19, 2010 [2 favorites]


This is all well and good, but how about putting that great documentary "How the Edwardians Spoke" back online? You know, the one that posed the hypothesis: The Flatter the Landscape, the Flatter the Accent?
posted by joshwa at 9:32 AM on October 19, 2010


OMG, I LOVED this. Thanks for posting it!
posted by Lynsey at 9:50 AM on October 19, 2010


Finally, a fun way to learn about the origins of the English language. Thank you.
posted by groggi42 at 11:11 AM on October 19, 2010


Deshil Holles Eamus.
posted by kersplunk at 3:23 PM on October 19, 2010


Great post, thanks.
posted by tickingclock at 9:04 PM on October 20, 2010


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