I wonder if I'm alone here, but I find use of Olde English in MUDs somewhat... sexy... 
Well, not exactly Olde English, but I've seen people use something similar in MUDs that has that "medieval" feel. I think a good example of what I'm refering to is the language used in the Lord of the Rings movie. The language used is distinct enough from modern english so as to give it a "medieval" feel, yet it is close enough to modern english such that it can appeal to a large audience.
I don't think I can pull it off without slipping up or sounding fake though. But if anyone can share some tips or links, or explain the basic sentence structure, I'd really appreciate it.
orz
Well, not exactly Olde English, but I've seen people use something similar in MUDs that has that "medieval" feel. I think a good example of what I'm refering to is the language used in the Lord of the Rings movie. The language used is distinct enough from modern english so as to give it a "medieval" feel, yet it is close enough to modern english such that it can appeal to a large audience.
I don't think I can pull it off without slipping up or sounding fake though. But if anyone can share some tips or links, or explain the basic sentence structure, I'd really appreciate it.
orz
Read Lord of the Rings 20 times, then a little Shakespeare, then a little Milton, then learn latin and then say all your latin phrases with the funny conjugated verbs in english and your head will be so pulped you'll probably speak like it all the time.
I know what you mean, some characters start off in that mode and gradually give it up. I think the key is to be VERY literal about everything. My character always tries not to be contemporary, particularly in how he greets people, but I've not the attention span to keep it up in conversation.
Good luck with it.
ps - ALL english is sexy.
I know what you mean, some characters start off in that mode and gradually give it up. I think the key is to be VERY literal about everything. My character always tries not to be contemporary, particularly in how he greets people, but I've not the attention span to keep it up in conversation.
Good luck with it.
ps - ALL english is sexy.
Hee, actually, a lot of my friends from Achaea phoned me up just so they could hear my British accent. I can't see what they liked so much about it, but they all thought it was gorgeous 
I prefer Tassie accents though 
I prefer Tassie accents though No one here is speaking Old English, let me give you a sample of old english, (Your broswers may not be able to display this, so I apoligize for it)
That is a passage from Beowulf in old english... I don't see anyone speaking that...
What I do see is a bunch of people speaking modernized queens english (1700's-mid 1800's.)
This has been an attack of the accuracy in history police
QUOTE
Hwæt! We Gardena    in geardagum,
þeodcyninga,    þrym gefrunon,
hu ða æþelingas    ellen fremedon.
Oft Scyld Scefing    sceaþena þreatum,
5
monegum mægþum,    meodosetla ofteah,
egsode eorlas.    Syððan ærest wearð
feasceaft funden,    he þæs frofre gebad,
weox under wolcnum,    weorðmyndum þah,
oðþæt him æghwylc    þara ymbsittendra
10
ofer hronrade    hyran scolde,
gomban gyldan.    þæt wæs god cyning!
ðæm eafera wæs    æfter cenned,
geong in geardum,    þone god sende
folce to frofre;    fyrenðearfe ongeat
15
þe hie ær drugon    aldorlease
lange hwile.    Him þæs liffrea,
wuldres wealdend,    woroldare forgeaf;
Beowulf wæs breme    (blæd wide sprang),
Scyldes eafera    Scedelandum in.
20
Swa sceal geong guma    gode gewyrcean,
fromum feohgiftum    on fæder bearme,
þæt hine on ylde    eft gewunigen
wilgesiþas,    þonne wig cume,
leode gelæsten;    lofdædum sceal
25
in mægþa gehwære    man geþeon.
Him ða Scyld gewat    to gescæphwile
felahror feran    on frean wære.
Hi hyne þa ætbæron    to brimes faroðe,
swæse gesiþas,    swa he selfa bæd,
30
þenden wordum weold    wine Scyldinga;
leof landfruma    lange ahte.
þær æt hyðe stod    hringedstefna,
isig ond utfus,    æþelinges fær.
Aledon þa    leofne þeoden,
35
beaga bryttan,    on bearm scipes,
mærne be mæste.    þær wæs madma fela
of feorwegum,    frætwa, gelæded;
ne hyrde ic cymlicor    ceol gegyrwan
hildewæpnum    ond heaðowædum,
40
billum ond byrnum;    him on bearme læg
madma mænigo,    þa him mid scoldon
on flodes æht    feor gewitan.
Nalæs hi hine læssan    lacum teodan,
þeodgestreonum,    þon þa dydon
45
þe hine æt frumsceafte    forð onsendon
ænne ofer yðe    umborwesende.
þa gyt hie him asetton    segen geldenne
heah ofer heafod,    leton holm beran,
geafon on garsecg;    him wæs geomor sefa,
50
murnende mod.    Men ne cunnon
secgan to soðe,    selerædende,
hæleð under heofenum,    hwa þæm hlæste onfeng.
ða wæs on burgum    Beowulf Scyldinga,
leof leodcyning,    longe þrage
55
folcum gefræge    (fæder ellor hwearf,
aldor of earde),    oþþæt him eft onwoc
heah Healfdene;    heold þenden lifde,
gamol ond guðreouw,    glæde Scyldingas.
ðæm feower bearn    forð gerimed
60
in worold wocun,    weoroda ræswan,
Heorogar ond Hroðgar    ond Halga til;
hyrde ic þæt    wæs Onelan cwen,
Heaðoscilfingas    healsgebedda.
þa wæs Hroðgare    heresped gyfen,
65
wiges weorðmynd,    þæt him his winemagas
georne hyrdon,    oðð þæt seo geogoð geweox,
magodriht micel.    Him on mod bearn
þæt healreced    hatan wolde,
medoærn micel,    men gewyrcean
þeodcyninga,    þrym gefrunon,
hu ða æþelingas    ellen fremedon.
Oft Scyld Scefing    sceaþena þreatum,
5
monegum mægþum,    meodosetla ofteah,
egsode eorlas.    Syððan ærest wearð
feasceaft funden,    he þæs frofre gebad,
weox under wolcnum,    weorðmyndum þah,
oðþæt him æghwylc    þara ymbsittendra
10
ofer hronrade    hyran scolde,
gomban gyldan.    þæt wæs god cyning!
ðæm eafera wæs    æfter cenned,
geong in geardum,    þone god sende
folce to frofre;    fyrenðearfe ongeat
15
þe hie ær drugon    aldorlease
lange hwile.    Him þæs liffrea,
wuldres wealdend,    woroldare forgeaf;
Beowulf wæs breme    (blæd wide sprang),
Scyldes eafera    Scedelandum in.
20
Swa sceal geong guma    gode gewyrcean,
fromum feohgiftum    on fæder bearme,
þæt hine on ylde    eft gewunigen
wilgesiþas,    þonne wig cume,
leode gelæsten;    lofdædum sceal
25
in mægþa gehwære    man geþeon.
Him ða Scyld gewat    to gescæphwile
felahror feran    on frean wære.
Hi hyne þa ætbæron    to brimes faroðe,
swæse gesiþas,    swa he selfa bæd,
30
þenden wordum weold    wine Scyldinga;
leof landfruma    lange ahte.
þær æt hyðe stod    hringedstefna,
isig ond utfus,    æþelinges fær.
Aledon þa    leofne þeoden,
35
beaga bryttan,    on bearm scipes,
mærne be mæste.    þær wæs madma fela
of feorwegum,    frætwa, gelæded;
ne hyrde ic cymlicor    ceol gegyrwan
hildewæpnum    ond heaðowædum,
40
billum ond byrnum;    him on bearme læg
madma mænigo,    þa him mid scoldon
on flodes æht    feor gewitan.
Nalæs hi hine læssan    lacum teodan,
þeodgestreonum,    þon þa dydon
45
þe hine æt frumsceafte    forð onsendon
ænne ofer yðe    umborwesende.
þa gyt hie him asetton    segen geldenne
heah ofer heafod,    leton holm beran,
geafon on garsecg;    him wæs geomor sefa,
50
murnende mod.    Men ne cunnon
secgan to soðe,    selerædende,
hæleð under heofenum,    hwa þæm hlæste onfeng.
ða wæs on burgum    Beowulf Scyldinga,
leof leodcyning,    longe þrage
55
folcum gefræge    (fæder ellor hwearf,
aldor of earde),    oþþæt him eft onwoc
heah Healfdene;    heold þenden lifde,
gamol ond guðreouw,    glæde Scyldingas.
ðæm feower bearn    forð gerimed
60
in worold wocun,    weoroda ræswan,
Heorogar ond Hroðgar    ond Halga til;
hyrde ic þæt    wæs Onelan cwen,
Heaðoscilfingas    healsgebedda.
þa wæs Hroðgare    heresped gyfen,
65
wiges weorðmynd,    þæt him his winemagas
georne hyrdon,    oðð þæt seo geogoð geweox,
magodriht micel.    Him on mod bearn
þæt healreced    hatan wolde,
medoærn micel,    men gewyrcean
That is a passage from Beowulf in old english... I don't see anyone speaking that...
What I do see is a bunch of people speaking modernized queens english (1700's-mid 1800's.)
This has been an attack of the accuracy in history police
My current boss is from London, but his accent sounds nothing like what I see or hear in Hollywood or British comedies. Maybe he's an imposter!
Felemar:
I have to say I'm not familiar with the term "Southern accent", since I'm not American. What's it like?
Nementh:
Oh no no. I know Olde English is very much different from modern English. I said "something similar in MUDs that has that 'medieval' feel".
I did a bit of Googling before I posted initially. After browsing through the wikipedia website, I got the impression that Olde English was used extensively for a fairly long period of time (wikipedia says 700+ years), during which it went through a bit of a change. Maybe the "modernized queens english" could have descended from Olde English?
Link to Wiki, in case people are interested:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_English_language
Felemar:
I have to say I'm not familiar with the term "Southern accent", since I'm not American. What's it like?
Nementh:
Oh no no. I know Olde English is very much different from modern English. I said "something similar in MUDs that has that 'medieval' feel".
I did a bit of Googling before I posted initially. After browsing through the wikipedia website, I got the impression that Olde English was used extensively for a fairly long period of time (wikipedia says 700+ years), during which it went through a bit of a change. Maybe the "modernized queens english" could have descended from Olde English?
Link to Wiki, in case people are interested:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_English_language
