On 11/2/2015 1:08 AM, clipka wrote:
> "Dry firing the English" - yes, that makes more sense...;)
>

I read it as "Dry frying the English" at first.

> (Did you know that dry firing is bad for any gun? It can cause the
> firing pin to become brittle and possibly fracture. Never, ever, dry
> fire anyone else's gun without first asking their permission.

No I did not know that. But then I know very little about guns except 
that they don't kill people. Or so I am told.

> And never,
> ever, dry fire an Englishman. First make him drink a pint or two,_then_
> give him the sack.)

That would be a pint or two of sack before giving him the order of the 
boot. ;-)

-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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On 2-11-2015 10:44, Stephen wrote:
> On 11/2/2015 8:25 AM, Thomas de Groot wrote:
>> Strange about that 404. I believe that you can switch dates on the
>> Wayback Machine banner and so find the missing chapters. I just did it
>> now. Anyway, I downloaded the pages to be certain to have local access.
>>
>
> I tried a date close to the posted one but one of the missing chapters
> was still not there. Lost interest, I am afraid.
>
>
>> Middle English is already easier to read without help indeed.
>
> Indeed it is. I did have a year of Chaucer when I was at school and that
> helps.

Yes, good! Instead of Chaucer I had the French troubadours and 
trouvères. Marvellous language which has inspired me for many years.

>
>> I have
>> always liked the challenge to try to read old texts, especially in a
>> historical settings which attracts me in the first place like the Early
>> Medieval period. And I am a bit envious of people like Tolkien who could
>> write and speak Old English as if it was his native tongue:
>>
>
> Well I am not an academic and think those things should be left to them
> and their ilk. ;-)

Oh, we can do our own little bit ;-) It is useless, but I would love to 
speak Old English, just for the fun of it.

>
>> "On ǽrdagum wæs wuniende be norþdǽlum middangeardes sum cyning, þe ángan
>> dohtor hæfde. On his húse wæs éac án cniht óþrum ungelíc."
>>
>
> Not from the excerpt you posted but I could pick out more phrases from
> the whole story. I don't know if being dyslectic helps or hinders. I
> would certainly need a dictionary to go further.

Absolutely.

>
>> I hope the special characters will be readable. This the beginning of
>> Sellic Spell, a proto-Beowulf tale imagined by Tolkien and written in
>> O.E. by him. Can you understand what is written? Note that 'h' is
>> gutural aspiration as in German 'ach', and 'y' is 'ü', and some words
>> become clear :-)
>
> Yes the characters are readable. It reminds me of an old friend who
> could recite Chaucer in a broad Scottish accent. It was much more
> understandable when spoken. At least to me.

Yes, I think that is the point: we may sometimes be more able to 
recognise the old language when spoken aloud as it has survived longer 
it seems in today's dialects or regional languages.

>
> Talking about old and ancient things and remembering the image you
> posted a few years back. Have you read this article?
>
>   http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-32532893
>

I had not read it, thanks. Always an interesting topic to me.

-- 
Thomas

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On 11/2/2015 12:35 PM, Thomas de Groot wrote:
> On 2-11-2015 10:44, Stephen wrote:

>> Indeed it is. I did have a year of Chaucer when I was at school and that
>> helps.
>
> Yes, good! Instead of Chaucer I had the French troubadours and
> trouvères. Marvellous language which has inspired me for many years.
>

Bloody Toffs! Off with their heads.


>>
>> Well I am not an academic and think those things should be left to them
>> and their ilk. ;-)
>
> Oh, we can do our own little bit ;-) It is useless, but I would love to
> speak Old English, just for the fun of it.
>

Every boy needs a hobby.
Actually I would love to speak another language, even if it was English. ;-)


>> Yes the characters are readable. It reminds me of an old friend who
>> could recite Chaucer in a broad Scottish accent. It was much more
>> understandable when spoken. At least to me.
>
> Yes, I think that is the point: we may sometimes be more able to
> recognise the old language when spoken aloud as it has survived longer
> it seems in today's dialects or regional languages.
>

Indeed it does as it seems to me.

>>
>> Talking about old and ancient things and remembering the image you
>> posted a few years back. Have you read this article?
>>
>>   http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-32532893
>>
>
> I had not read it, thanks. Always an interesting topic to me.
>

The first thing I thought of when I saw the photos.

-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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Am 02.11.2015 um 08:59 schrieb Thomas de Groot:
> Well, Stephen made a typing mistake: 'dor' instead of 'door' ;-)

Nah, that was me.

> The church visibly
> was in the wrong location at the wrong time (which happens even to holy
> objects, or more so).

"Wrong place wrong time" sounds a bit weird when talking about immobile
property... it's not like they could have wheeled it off to someplace
else in time, I guess.

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Am 02.11.2015 um 10:51 schrieb Stephen:

>> (Did you know that dry firing is bad for any gun? It can cause the
>> firing pin to become brittle and possibly fracture. Never, ever, dry
>> fire anyone else's gun without first asking their permission.
> 
> No I did not know that. But then I know very little about guns except
> that they don't kill people. Or so I am told.

One of the random facts I just happened to pick up the other day. Never
held any weapon myself, except for an air rifle once.

>> And never,
>> ever, dry fire an Englishman. First make him drink a pint or two,_then_
>> give him the sack.)
> 
> That would be a pint or two of sack before giving him the order of the
> boot. ;-)

Is that somehow related to the order of the garter?

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On 11/3/2015 5:46 AM, clipka wrote:
> Am 02.11.2015 um 10:51 schrieb Stephen:
>
>>> (Did you know that dry firing is bad for any gun? It can cause the
>>> firing pin to become brittle and possibly fracture. Never, ever, dry
>>> fire anyone else's gun without first asking their permission.
>>
>> No I did not know that. But then I know very little about guns except
>> that they don't kill people. Or so I am told.
>
> One of the random facts I just happened to pick up the other day. Never
> held any weapon myself, except for an air rifle once.
>

I've used a .22 rifle. Would you believe that they used to have them at 
fun fairs, with the public walking around? They also let children (me) 
fire them. I assume that the bullets were under charged.
I'm not a good shot. (Right handed with left eye dominant.) I need 
gimbaled weapons. ;-)

>>> And never,
>>> ever, dry fire an Englishman. First make him drink a pint or two,_then_
>>> give him the sack.)
>>
>> That would be a pint or two of sack before giving him the order of the
>> boot. ;-)
>
> Is that somehow related to the order of the garter?
>

LOL
No it is the same as getting your jotters, your marching orders, your 
cards etc.

http://dictionary.reverso.net/english-synonyms/to%20get%20the%20sack

-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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On 3-11-2015 6:41, clipka wrote:
> Am 02.11.2015 um 08:59 schrieb Thomas de Groot:
>> Well, Stephen made a typing mistake: 'dor' instead of 'door' ;-)
>
> Nah, that was me.

Oh! Got the wrong sinner :-)

>
>> The church visibly
>> was in the wrong location at the wrong time (which happens even to holy
>> objects, or more so).
>
> "Wrong place wrong time" sounds a bit weird when talking about immobile
> property... it's not like they could have wheeled it off to someplace
> else in time, I guess.
>

I was waiting for some comment on that ;-)

-- 
Thomas

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On 2-11-2015 18:46, Stephen wrote:
> On 11/2/2015 12:35 PM, Thomas de Groot wrote:
>> On 2-11-2015 10:44, Stephen wrote:
>
>>> Indeed it is. I did have a year of Chaucer when I was at school and that
>>> helps.
>>
>> Yes, good! Instead of Chaucer I had the French troubadours and
>> trouvères. Marvellous language which has inspired me for many years.
>>
>
> Bloody Toffs! Off with their heads.

Fie! know your place, man!

>
>
>>>
>>> Well I am not an academic and think those things should be left to them
>>> and their ilk. ;-)
>>
>> Oh, we can do our own little bit ;-) It is useless, but I would love to
>> speak Old English, just for the fun of it.
>>
>
> Every boy needs a hobby.
> Actually I would love to speak another language, even if it was English.
> ;-)

Yes, that would be useful :-0


-- 
Thomas

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On 11/3/2015 8:01 AM, Thomas de Groot wrote:
> On 2-11-2015 18:46, Stephen wrote:

>>>
>>> Yes, good! Instead of Chaucer I had the French troubadours and
>>> trouvères. Marvellous language which has inspired me for many years.
>>>
>>
>> Bloody Toffs! Off with their heads.
>
> Fie! know your place, man!
>

I have enough problems with Dr. John on that subject. Don't you start. :-)


>>
>> Every boy needs a hobby.
>> Actually I would love to speak another language, even if it was English.
>> ;-)
>
> Yes, that would be useful :-0
>
>


You're telling me. :-)

-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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On 3-11-2015 9:25, Stephen wrote:
> On 11/3/2015 8:01 AM, Thomas de Groot wrote:
>> On 2-11-2015 18:46, Stephen wrote:
>
>>>>
>>>> Yes, good! Instead of Chaucer I had the French troubadours and
>>>> trouvères. Marvellous language which has inspired me for many years.
>>>>
>>>
>>> Bloody Toffs! Off with their heads.
>>
>> Fie! know your place, man!
>>
>
> I have enough problems with Dr. John on that subject. Don't you start. :-)

I wouldn't dare!

>
>
>>>
>>> Every boy needs a hobby.
>>> Actually I would love to speak another language, even if it was English.
>>> ;-)
>>
>> Yes, that would be useful :-0
>>
>>
>
>
> You're telling me. :-)
>

I am struggling with it. Every day.

-- 
Thomas

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