Gaining insight into how our predecessors expressed dates allows us to better appreciate the rich linguistic history embedded in the English language. Old English, spoken between the 5th and 11th centuries, offers a fascinating glimpse into the past. In this guide, we’ll explore both formal and informal ways of expressing dates in Old English, highlighting regional variations when necessary. Let’s step back in time and uncover the beauty of Old English date expressions!
Table of Contents
Formal Date Expressions
Formal date expressions in Old English were commonly used in official or legal documents, as well as in formal correspondence. Here are a few phrases that convey the date with a touch of formality:
1. An ‘on’ Construction: One way to express the date formally is by using the preposition ‘on’ followed by the day of the week, and then the word ‘even’, which represents ‘evening’. For example: “On Þunresdæg even” (On Thursday evening).
2. Ordinal Numbers: Another formal approach is using ordinal numbers followed by the month name. For example: “Þrideigþe of Gēolmōnaþe” (The 13th day of Yule-month).
3. The Construction ‘Dæg on Month Name’: This construction involves stating the day and then appending the word ‘on’, followed by the month name. For example: “Sexta dæg on Lēoþ mōnaþe” (Sixth day in Lēoð month).
Informal Date Expressions
While formal expressions were common in official contexts, informal dates were used in everyday conversation and in less formal writing. Here are some ways to express dates more casually:
1. ‘Day’ + ‘Month’ Construction: The simplest way to express a date informally is by stating the day and then the month name. For example: “Twēon dæg Mǣdmōnaþes” (Twelfth day of March month).
2. ‘Numeral’ + ‘Month’ Construction: An alternative and less formal approach involves using a cardinal numeral followed by the month name without specifying the word ‘day’. For instance: “Fēower mōnaþ” (Four month) or “þrēoefteroþ mōnað” (Thirty-fourth month).
3. ‘Month’ + ‘Day’ Construction: Sometimes, the month comes before the day in an informal setting. For example: “Ƿēodmōnaþ twēntigþe dæg” (May twentieth day).
Regional Variations
It’s important to note that Old English, much like any language, had regional variations. This guide primarily focuses on the West Saxon dialect, which served as a lingua franca during the Old English period. However, other dialects existed, each with its own peculiarities in date expressions.
One notable regional variation was found in the Mercian dialect, where the word ‘monet’ (month) was replaced by ‘mónaþ’ — a distinction worth noting when exploring date expressions in Old English.
Examples:
Let’s dive into some examples that showcase how dates were expressed in Old English:
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Formal date expressions:
a. On Sundays: “On Sunnandæġ even”
b. 12th of May: “Twelfþe dæg Mǣdmōnaþes”
c. 17th day in Þrimilcemōnaþ: “Seofontēoþa dæg on Þrimilcemōnaþe”
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Informal date expressions:
a. Fourth day of Þrimilcemōnaþ: “Fēower dæg Þrimilcemōnaþes”
b. Eighteenth month: “Ƿēodmōnaþ eahtatēoþa mōnaþ”
c. February twelfth day: “Solmōnaþ twelfþe dæg”
Exploring these examples offers a glimpse into the diverse ways Old English speakers conveyed dates formally and informally in their day-to-day lives.
As you embark on your journey to learn more about Old English, remember to study the specific dialects and their corresponding variations, as they add another layer of depth to date expressions in this ancient language.
So go forth and explore the beauty of Old English date expressions!
