Different "Lenses"....
Jan. 26th, 2014 07:40 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
mdehnersIt's been a few weeks since I switched "liturgical languages" from Old Norse to Old English, and it's definitely been a positive experience Mind-wise. For one thing, it makes you actually Focus on what you're saying, even though the Intent and basic form is the same as the one you've used since about the mid 90's.
I started learning OE quite a while ago but only had one source, Pollington's(I think it'd been out just a couple yrs if that). The came the Thodisc Conversion of my OE list and personal attacks in personal email by a member held in high esteem by the list owner so I left both the list AND AS Heathenry...returning to Folkish Asatru. Time has passed long enough that personal "wounds" have healed or scared up:>. Also, things like the Internet and E-bay now exist for me to find books that weren't available to me back then. 'Course, that's led to a minor problem that I call "Dialects".
Each of the textbooks have a slightly different pronunciation key. Part is just that which comes from a "dead" language. Part is that the English spoken by each teacher is of a different dialect OF MODERN ENGLISH, so it's hardly surprising that they'd present each a slightly differing one;>! Personally? I prefer Mitchell and Robinson's. Just person taste, no other reason...
The thing about languages is that they form the "lens" which we perceive the World. If a language doesn't have words for a concept, interactions with those that do are marred with errors until the interaction allows them to "see". Oft, that doesn't happen. More languages, more POV's. Change language(s), Change POV(s).
Both stretching and exercising the Mind. Something that becomes more needed as you get Older....
Cheers,
Pat
I started learning OE quite a while ago but only had one source, Pollington's(I think it'd been out just a couple yrs if that). The came the Thodisc Conversion of my OE list and personal attacks in personal email by a member held in high esteem by the list owner so I left both the list AND AS Heathenry...returning to Folkish Asatru. Time has passed long enough that personal "wounds" have healed or scared up:>. Also, things like the Internet and E-bay now exist for me to find books that weren't available to me back then. 'Course, that's led to a minor problem that I call "Dialects".
Each of the textbooks have a slightly different pronunciation key. Part is just that which comes from a "dead" language. Part is that the English spoken by each teacher is of a different dialect OF MODERN ENGLISH, so it's hardly surprising that they'd present each a slightly differing one;>! Personally? I prefer Mitchell and Robinson's. Just person taste, no other reason...
The thing about languages is that they form the "lens" which we perceive the World. If a language doesn't have words for a concept, interactions with those that do are marred with errors until the interaction allows them to "see". Oft, that doesn't happen. More languages, more POV's. Change language(s), Change POV(s).
Both stretching and exercising the Mind. Something that becomes more needed as you get Older....
Cheers,
Pat
