Question

Early English literature was written in Old English, which is vastly different from Modern English. Often, these texts are translated into more accessible language for modern readers. When reading these older forms of English, it can be difficult to understand the meaning, even if the language has been modified. In your opinion, what makes this literature so difficult to read? Is it the vocabulary, the characters, the type of storytelling, the density of the language, or something else? As you progressed through Old English texts to Middle English to Modern English, how did your understanding of the literature change? Can you explain what caused the change?

Answer 1

Literature is so difficult to read because overtime the meaning of words has changed. They way we talk, they way we write, etc has shifted because some things from the past mean something different now. An example of this would be heartburn now it means that a pain in your heart from possibly to much grease, back then it was a way to describe jealousy. My underdstanding of literature changed because I had more knowledge and I learned what the old ways of literature once was. I believe over time, people grow and change, and when this happens, the language changed as well. Also, technology had a big part to do with language and how we speak to one another changed.Explanation:

Answer 2

Well basically the just changed because overtime the meaning of words have changed. The way we talk and our context clues have shifted because some things from back then don't mean the same as they do now an example of this would be heartburn now it means that a pain in your heart from possibly to much grease, back then it was a way to describe jealousy. It is easy to understand the reading always through context clues! When you use the words around what you are reading the meaning of the word can change to what the author wanted it to mean! I think it only changed because people change and they make everything else that they say mean what they want. It also helps with the development of technology that we can edit text and use sights to help generalize words so that other people see the words how we want them to.