If Chaucer came back to life, could we understand his speech, with some difficulty?

[raccoon]

Would the Irish or rural Scots be better able to understand him?

[KatyMan]

1. Listen for yourself...

http://academics.vmi.edu/english/audio/GP-Opening.html

[raccoon]

2. Thanks for the link. And it answered the question, No.

If I hadn't known what was being said, I'd never have been able to make it out.

[KatyMan]

3. The funny thing is

If you listen to it for an extended period, like for a whole Tale, you kind of start to understand it. Not completely, but enough to where it's pretty cool.

[knitter4democracy]

4. It's even more fun to speak.

We had to memorize part of the Canterbury Tales in high school, and it was so much fun to do it in the original. There's quite a beat to it. :)

[Fovea]

6. I took both French

and Old English. And wow does that perspective help.

Anglo Saxon Ran headlong into Danish, and not long after that, Norman French.

Now, Anglo Saxon, that is somethin else agin...

"Nu sculon herigean heofonrices Weard,
Meotodes meahte & his modgeþanc,
weorc Wuldorfæder, swa he wundra gehwæs,
ece Drihten, or onstealde.
He ærest sceop eorðan bearnum
heofon to hrofe halig Scyppend;
þa middangeard monncynnes Weard,
ece Drihten, æfter teode
firum foldan, Frea ælmihtig."


Lessee...

Now should we praise - heaven's guardian
MIghty maker - and his powerful thought
the works of the world father - as his wonders are (?)
always mighty -- from the beginning
He, the holy maker who first set the roof of heaven for the children of middle earth.
Afterwards giving it to the children of men.

Or something roughly like that. I went to the Guide for some of it.

[Fovea]

5. Certes!

everychoun mote!