- •1. Old English – The story of Jacob’s Deceit
- •Phonetic analysis
- •Grammatical analysis
- •Etymological analysis
- •2. Middle English – From Capgrave’s Chronicle of England
- •Grammar analysis
- •Etymological analysis
- •3. New English – d.Chrystal, The Cambrige Encyclopedia of the English Language, 1995
- •Phonetic analysis
- •Grammar and etymological analysis
The analysis of texts
1. Old English – The story of Jacob’s Deceit
17. And hēo sealde him Þone mete Þe heo seaÞ, and hlāf; and hē brōhte Þæt his fæder 18. and cwæð: 'Fæder mīn!' Hē andswarode and cwæð: 'Hwæt eart Þū, sunu mīn?' 19. And Iācob cwæð: 'Ic eom Ēsau, Þīn frum-cenneda sunu. Ic dyde swā Þū mē bebude. Ārīs upp and site, and et of mīnum huntoðe, Þæt Þu me blētsiƷe.'
Translation:
17. And she sold him that meat she boiled, and bread, and he brought them to his father. 18. and said: “Oh, my father!” he answered and said: “What are you(what do you want), my son?” 19. And Iacob said: “I am Esau, your first-born son. I did what you bid me. Arise up and sit and eat what I got of my hunting, so that you bless me”
Phonetic analysis
Word as it is used in the text |
Analysis notes |
Corresponding word |
Translation |
1. sealde |
[ea]-breaking of [a] before l consonant,[e] – palatal mutation of [a], ll- doubling due to loss of [j] |
sell |
sold |
2. cwæð |
[æ] – from Common Germanic, ð –[ θ] according to Verner’s law the 3d and 4th form of this verb became voiced [θ]-> [ ð] – “consonant gradation” с –[k] |
obs. quoth |
quote |
3. swā |
[ā] – from Comm.Germ. [ai] |
so |
so |
4. eart |
[ea] - breaking of [æ] before r consonant. |
are |
are |
5. hwæt |
[æ] – from PG [a] a->>æ v->w |
what |
what |
6. hlāf |
[f] – voiceless, in intervocal position hlaford, it would be [v] , h-[h] |
loaf |
bread |
7. huntoðe |
ð – [ð] in intervocal position, h-[h] |
hunting |
hunting |
8. blētsiƷe |
Ʒ – [j] –before and after front vowels s – [s] |
bless |
bless |
9. Þæt |
Þ – [θ] 0 initially voiceless, [æ] from PG [ā] |
that |
that |
10. fæder |
Latin – pater, according to Verner’s law the Germanic voiceless fricative consonants became voiced after unstressed vowels. [t] ->>Com.Germ.[θ]->>Verner’s Law [ð]->> “hardening” [d] |
father |
father, отец |
Grammatical analysis
Word as it is used in the text |
Analysis notes |
Corresponding word |
Translation |
1.His |
Pronoun personal, 3d person singular, masculine, genitive |
His |
His |
2. Mete |
Noun, nominative singular, masculine, i-stem |
Meat |
Meat |
3. Hlāf |
Noun, nominative singular, masculine, a-stem |
Loaf, bread |
Loaf, bread |
4. Fæder |
Noun, nominative singular, masculine, r-stem |
Father |
Father |
5. Hwæt |
Pronoun, interrogative, nominative. |
What |
What |
6. Sealde |
verb, 3d person, singular, past tense, the first form is sellan, indicative mood, weak verb 1, irregular |
Sell |
Sold |
7. SeaÞ |
Seethe, verb, str. 2 |
seethe |
Boil |
8. Cwæð |
Verb, 3d person, singular, past tense, indicative mood of cwæðan, strong verb, class V. |
quoth |
Quote |
9 Sunu |
Noun, masculine, u-stem. |
son |
son |
10. Brōhte |
brōhton – verb, plural, past tense, indicative mood of brinƷan, strong-weak verb |
bring |
brought |