SirDennisC
Half-elven
Dec 22 2012, 6:09am
Views: 3181
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A Middle English Vocabulary Challenge -- Nowel Edition
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Apparently the world did not end today, so... Welcome to a special Nowel (Christmas) edition of "A Middle English Vocabulary Challenge!"
As many here know, a significant portion of Tolkien's labours in Middle English were based on the poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, itself a tale spread across two consecutive "holiday" seasons -- hence the timing of this edition. According to this article, for some the poem has an apocalyptic interpretation as well. How convenient!
As in past instalments, our word game is based on a list of ten words drawn from two of J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle English glossaries:
A) A Middle English Vocabulary, by J.R.R. Tolkien, as published in Sisam, Kenneth, ed. Fourteenth Century Verse & Prose, London: Oxford University Press, 1955; and
B) Tolkien & Gordon ed. Sir Gawain & The Green Knight, London: Oxford University Press, 1963.
The Rules:
This is a game of guessing, reasoned or otherwise. We ask those who have access to the glossaries to please wait until after posting to look up the words! As always, no answers in subject lines please.
The Challenge:
For each of the following words, please state its definition and/or a contemporary equivalent word as you deem appropriate.
1. daunsyng
2. worþyly
3. schulderes
4. bryȝt
5. Crystemas
6. twelmonyth
7. doȝtyr
8. þorghout
9. vnryghtwisely
10. wundred
You may have noticed some odd characters in this special edition. As not to make it too easy, let's just say one can usually be read as "gh," the other as "th."
As well, it may pay to hearken to NZ Strider via NEB: "Try reading Middle English aloud while looking at the text. A few words that your eye misses your ear will catch."
(This post was edited by SirDennisC on Dec 22 2012, 6:14am)
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