News for hackers. Stuff that matters.

A comment on Learn to read Middle English.

Re:Learn to read Middle English by Lukas_Skywalker on Tuesday June 09, 2020 @12:21PM (#23467968)
The difficult word, "schuleth", is actually pretty close to its German counterpart, the verb "schulden", which still has the original meaning of "to owe".

In German itself, the word apparently transformed from "skulan" at around the year 0 over "skuld" at around 700 to "schult" around the year 1000.

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Learn to read Middle English by gerdesj on Tuesday June 09, 2020 @12:37PM (#23468130)
I have no problem with this:

"to him that ye schuleth tribute, tribute" becoming "to him that you should tribute, tribute."

It is a bit odd to modern ears but the second tribute is clearly a shortened exhortation for emphasis. Should in English often implies an obligation and owe falls out from that. "You should apologise for that" -> "You own an apology for that".

[ Parent | on HN ]
Re:Learn to read Middle English by tankenmate on Tuesday June 09, 2020 @02:22PM (#23469200)
the first "tribute" is a gerund (i.e. a verb taking the place of a noun) although i'm not sure of the gerund declension in middle english. the second "tribute" is an imperative verb (with an implied subject and object).
[ Parent | on HN ]