/r/anglish

Photograph via snooOG

Anglish is how we might speak if the Normans had been beaten at Hastings, and if we had not made inkhorn words out of Latin, Greek and French.

What is Anglish

Anglish is how we might speak if the Normans had been beaten at Hastings, and if we had not made inkhorn words out of Latin, Greek and French.

So, we say things like 'hearty' instead of 'cordial', and 'wordbook' instead of 'dictionary'.

Why We Do It

While there are many grounds for Anglish, English words grounded in Old English are often more friendly and meaningful to English-speakers. As Ernest Hemingway once wrote to William Faulkner:

“He thinks I don't know the ten-dollar words. I know them all right. But there are older and simpler and better words, and those are the ones I use.”

How We Do It

  1. Where there are native and borrowed words meaning the same thing, we choose our living inborn words. Such as: ‘inborn’ (an Old English build) rather than ‘native’ (a French word thrust into English through the Norman overlordship).

  2. Where there is an inborn word whose meaning was narrowed or upset by a borrowed word (most often influenced by French, Latin, or Greek) we bring back the inborn word's older meaning. Such as: ‘deer’ to mean any kind of ‘animal’, one of many more French words thrust into English through the Norman overlordship.

  3. Where the inborn word died out from being swapped with a borrowed word, we bring back the dead word, from Old or Middle English, in a New English shape. Such as: inborn ‘frith’ instead of French ‘peace’.

  4. Where there is a outlandish coining for something latter-day and inborn (often Latin and Greek, for scientific, or ‘inkhorn words’), we look upon the Old English-sprung wordhoard (vocabulary) to craft new words. Such as: ‘wirespel’ rather than ‘telegram’, a coining by William Barnes; and we widen the meaning of a word like ‘mote’ to stand in for ‘particle’).

  5. Where English and its forebears (Old and Middle English) has no word for something, such as a new and foreign concept, we can allow for the utilitarian borrowing, as expected of a natural language, and only nativise the spelling. Such as: ‘karma’, borrowed as is; and shifting the Norman-French spelling of a word like ‘sugar’ to ‘sucker’; a shape of the word English might have, were England not under Norman yoke when sugar first landed.

Hƿi are sum þings spelled like þis? / Why are some things spelled like this?

For the sake of readability, we ask that you kindly write your Anglish in either the Anglish Spelling standard, or keep to standard English spellings.

https://anglisc.miraheze.org/wiki/The_Anglish_Alphabet

If you wish to spell things your own way, then kindly also write it out in standard English, so that everyone can understand you.

/r/anglish

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59

"brother may I have some oats" in Anglish 🐖

Certain common Germanic loans, like beast, parade, and plan are given a pass.

Pig 1: brother may I have some oats?

Pig 2: no.

Pig 1: I am starving, brother.

Pig 2: As am I, brother. The tall skinny body has thrown the oats at me. ME, BROTHER. I believe they have taken a liking to me.

Pig 1: No brother, I have seen this before. I have beheld many things. From the roaring beasts that the tall skinny bodies crawl inside of to fare far beyond the earthline, to how the body weeped when the other had fallen into a deep sleep. And from my undergoings I have learned that they will give spare oats to one of us before taking them into the no come back shed.

Pig 1: They will do woesome things in that shed, brother.

Pig 2: LIES. THAT SHED IS WHERE THE CHOSEN ONES GO TO FEED WITH OUT TALL SKINNY GODS. THOU ART A GIT BROTHER AND THOU SHALT BE LEFT BEHIND IN THE MUD WITH THY BACKWARDS THOUGHTS.

Pig 1: NO, BROTHER. Thou must believe me. Share with me the oats and thou shalt not reach the wanted girth for the tall skinny ones. They will spare thy life, brother.

Pig 2: AHA, SO THIS WAS ALL A PLAN TO STEAL MY OATS. Thou truly art loathsome, brother. I will not trust thy lies.

Pig 1: Brother, when they took me outside the prickly hedge’s reaches, into the roaring beast and way over the earthline, I saw it. I was taken to a gathering of these tall skinny bodies. They paraded me about, brother, and I saw the truth. I saw the tall skinny bodies scoffing down our flesh. I could not have been mistaken, brother. The flesh’s smell was sickerly one of us. They hung the flesh above a fire and let it burn before downing it. They did not only eat it either brother. They took liking from this. Their mouths crooked a wicked smile and some even let out moans of gladness from swallowing our flesh brother. THE BODIES ARE EATERS, BROTHER. THEY ARE NO UNALIKE THAN THE HAIRY, RED, DEVIL THAT ATE AND FRIGHTENED US AND THE FEATHERED ONES.

Pig 2: thy tale tickles me, brother, but does not win over me. I shall have these oats myself and feed with the tall skinny gods.

Pig 1: I am sorry for thee, brother. Thy eyes cannot take the truth’s blinding light and thou scurriest back into the hollow. I shall take care of thy offspring once they eat thee, brother, as they have eaten thy lover, our father, our mother, and many more.

10 Comments
2024/10/30
16:48 UTC

5

Snapshot for photograph

Snapshooter for photographer Likeness for picture or image Film shooter for cameraman Shotcraft or shot taking for photography Shot work for camera work

3 Comments
2024/10/30
07:06 UTC

21

Why is is "Eight" and Not "Ag(h)t"?

I have been very confused why it went against the usual evolution of OE [ea] to NE [a], I do understand that there are always exceptions, but I was confused on this one.

And yes, I do realise that I did not do the IPA symbols correctly, I do not have quick access to them on this device.

Many thanks

  • Kenamī/Khīyra (Sce/It)
5 Comments
2024/10/29
19:36 UTC

12

Esque

"-esque" means "like a thing while not being that thing". So "picturesque" means "like a picture even though it's not a picture", so I didn't think "-like" cuts it. The closest I can think of are "girly" and "mannish", both of which are applied to the opposite sex, but that meaning is unique to thosr words. Given it still has a French spelling, it might be recent enough for me to give a pass, as not stemming from the Normans.

17 Comments
2024/10/29
05:31 UTC

163

"brook" in the wild

Outside of you nerds (said with love, don't come at me) I can't think of a time I've ever seen "brook" used in the wild. Had to share this from Patton Oswald.

11 Comments
2024/10/29
02:14 UTC

14

What's Anglish of this OE word?

Im looking for word for "convince" & "persuade". However, the word for it which "sway" and "wheedle" isn't enough for me.

Then I scour about wikitionary until I got OE of same meaning, oferreccan (ˌo.ferˈret.t͡ʃɑn). I wonder how the shift turns out into modern sound.

12 Comments
2024/10/27
00:28 UTC

9

When to use æsc?

By the wordbook æsc was became the /æ/ sound in today’s Englisc from old Englisc, and the long æsc “ǣ” became “ea”. I’ve seen times times when æ is used instead of /æ/ sound like “at becomes “æt” and even with the long æ, “feathers” becomes “fæðers” and “earth” becomes “ærð” maybe I’m getting wrong but I hope someone could make this easy to understand.

6 Comments
2024/10/26
17:15 UTC

4

Propositions for OE>AG sound changes?

When doing ones own work one comes across a word originating from Old French but there's no already agreed upon possible Anglish (AG?) alternative but there is an Old English (OE) translation for it, what are some propositions for the converting of OE to AG? There's no reason to believe all sound changes would be the exact same from OE to Modern English as from OE to AG, so which changes might a non-norman English see that are different from the changes we know happened?

3 Comments
2024/10/24
18:18 UTC

37

“-fere/-fear” as a new alternative to “-able”

The most common suggested alternative to “-able” seems to be a variant of “-ingly,” from OE “-endlic.” This could cause some confusion due to homophony, e.g. “lovingly” meaning “able to love” gets confused with “in a loving manner.” Context would clarify the meaning, but the homophony still has the potential to cause ambiguity.

I set forth a more distinct alternative: “-fere/-fear,” from OE “fére,” meaning “able (to go), capable, fit for service, seaworthy.” This removes homophony as confusion with n. “fear” is unlikely. Hence “loveable” becomes “lovefere,” “unspeakable” becomes “unspeakfere,” “answerable” becomes “answerfere,” and so on.

14 Comments
2024/10/24
12:41 UTC

16

Andy Warhol: “Somebody’s Gotta Do It!”

I’ve always thought that the Foresitter could do so much here to help wend metes. If the Foresitter would go into a mean bathroom in the Headland, and have the Farseer filmers film him cleaning the johns and saying “Why not? Somebody’s got to do it!” then that would do so much for the mood of the folks who do the wonderful chore of keeping the johns clean. I mean, it is a wonderful thing they’re doing.

The Foresitter has so much good outreach might that hasn’t been tapped. He should sit down one day and make a list of all the things that people are shy to do that they shouldn’t be shy to do, and then do them all on farsight.

0 Comments
2024/10/22
03:41 UTC

16

Is there like a wordbook on anglish?

Helloooo. I have a comic I make. And the common speak for all the different cultures is English. Right and I thought I'd be cool if human native tongue would be anglish. Sooo is there like a reasources on anglish to streamline the process? :3 thankssss!

7 Comments
2024/10/21
18:09 UTC

8

Eraser

What's the word for eraser

Like that little rubber thing lol

15 Comments
2024/10/20
20:34 UTC

2

"the corporative state" in anglish?

maybe the corporative can anglishen as "guild-working". but, i don't think that's a word.

gladden, ling us think on the thought-whole.

7 Comments
2024/10/20
14:23 UTC

35

Is 'uprising' an Anglish word?

I was thinking about the word 'revolution' lately and it's obviously not an Anglish word. It is clearly French, so I started thinking about a more English or Anglish sounding word and thought of 'uprising,' however, I'm not 100% sure on the origins of the word. It sounds Anglish to me though. Am I wrong? Is it Anglish or not?

20 Comments
2024/10/20
12:23 UTC

42

Old Welsh, the speech of the cozers.

0 Comments
2024/10/19
20:35 UTC

24

Using the word "brook" in daily life

I don't about you, but I've begun to brook/use the verb "brook" in daily life and online, just to make it a tiny bit more widespread. People are fine with it even if at first it might seem a bit confusing to them. I think it's curious how English has adopted words like "in lieu of", "avant garde", "sans", and so on and then I was like "why can't we bring back actual English words in daily life. And overall, I think if we start brooking said word, at least we can make it a bit more common.

12 Comments
2024/10/19
18:40 UTC

13

Word for "Space Station"?

Hail, wordsmiths. Beginner here.

Is there any good way to wend "Space Station" into Anglisc words?

"Rodder Stronghold" is the best I could come up with, benoting my wordbook.

26 Comments
2024/10/19
18:19 UTC

8

How does one say ‘confuckulate’ in Anglisch? 😝

See above.

9 Comments
2024/10/19
15:49 UTC

87

Anglish Word for “Autism”

I work with behindered grownups in crafting, glee making and show playing. Many of them are on the Autism Spectrum. I was wondering if there would be a word for Autism, Autistic, or Autism Spectrum? The only word I thought of is “othermood“, forwhy their mood is unlike many folk.

48 Comments
2024/10/19
12:09 UTC

3

Bookstaffs Foreset

Þis after is for folk like me þat brook þe anglisc sunderlie spelling and bookstaff: ic foreset þe faging of tƿo neƿ bookstaffs to þe fuþorc (abc's), first is Æ þat ƿill stand for þe ring /æ/ like in þe ƿords "cat" or "þat". Ƿe can also put a small streak abofe þe bookstaff like Ǣ for þe long A ring (ay), it is even likelie put þat streak abofe all long clippels (ligt - līgt, englisc - ēnglisc, stone - stōne, and so forð).

Þe tƿoð bookstaff to fæg is good old Y - ic þink Y cæn be brookful as a clippel, standing for the long "ee" ring līke in þree (þry), ænd for þe "ai" at þe end of a ƿord līke in by and þy.

So ƿhat are geer þougts on þese bookstaff?

0 Comments
2024/10/19
10:35 UTC

7

How do you say "convince" or "persuade" in Anglish?

I am stumped.

7 Comments
2024/10/19
10:20 UTC

16

Þe last līgt of Durins Day ƿill scīne upon þe kie-hole

Sō seeminglie þis læg, ƿritten bie J.R.R Tolkien for his book "Þe Hobbit", is fullie anglisc, sō all ic needed to do ƿas to sƿap ute þe spelling to one þæt fits better ƿið anglisc. Thou migt tǣkest heed þæt ic brooked þe bookstaff Y alþuge it does not scoƿ up in anglisc fuþorc as for þe anglisc ƿikipedia. Ic cōse to brook Y as ic þougt it looked more comelie.

(In standard English: So apparently this poem, written by J.R.R Tolkien for his book "The Hobbit", is fully anglish, so all I needed to do was to replace the spelling to one that fits better with anglish. You might notice that I used the letter Y although it doesn't appear in anglish alphabet according to the anglish wikipedia. I chose to use Y because I thought it looked more aesthetic.)

6 Comments
2024/10/19
09:26 UTC

5

Any Gboards with Wynn?

As the heading says, I'm looking for a Gboard that has Wynn on it. If no, what do you brook for Wynn?

6 Comments
2024/10/18
21:55 UTC

13

Best way to learn anglish?

What's the best way to learn anglish? Not only the vocabulary but also the spelling.

20 Comments
2024/10/17
17:22 UTC

6

Agalloch - Kneel to the Cross (Sol Invictus cover) ☀️

3 Comments
2024/10/16
23:32 UTC

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