The English Language Part 4

FOR THE SAXON OF THE CONTINENT. FOR THE SAXON OF ENGLAND.

1. Continental Saxon. Insular Saxon.

2. German Saxon. English Saxon.

3. Westphalian Saxon. Hanoverian Saxon.

4. South-Saxon. North Saxon.

5. Cheruscan Saxon. Angle Saxon.

6. Saxon of the Heliand.[4] Saxon of Beowulf.[4]

Of these names the last would be the best for strictly scientific purposes, or for the purposes of investigation; since the fact upon which it is based is the most undeniable.

Such is what the nomenclature might be, or, perhaps, ought to be. What it is _is_ another question.

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-- 59. The Saxon of England is called Anglo-Saxon; a term against which no exception can be raised.

-- 60. The Saxon of the Continental _used to_ be called _Dano_-Saxon, and _is_ called _Old_ Saxon.

-- 61. _Why called _Dano_-Saxon._--When the poem called _Heliand_ was first discovered (and that in an English library), the difference in language between it and the common Anglo-Saxon composition was accounted for by the a.s.sumption of a _Danish_ intermixture.

-- 62. _Why called _Old_ Saxon._--When the Continental origin of the _Heliand_ was recognised, the language was called _Old Saxon_, because it represented the Saxon of the mother-country, the natives of which were called _Old_ Saxons by the _Anglo_-Saxons themselves. Still the term is exceptionable; the Saxon of the Heliand is most probably a _sister_-dialect of the _Anglo_-Saxon, rather the _Anglo_-Saxon itself is a continental locality. Exceptionable, however, as it is, it will be employed.

-- 63. The _data_ for the study of the Old Saxon are as follows:--

1. _Abrenuntiatio Diaboli, e Codice Vaticano._--Graff, Diutisca, ii. 191.

2. _Confessionis Formulae, e Codice Essensi._--Lacomblet, Archiv, fur Geschichte des Niederrhins, 1, 4-9.

3. _Fragmentum de Festo omnium Sanctorum, e Codice Essensi._--Ibid.

4. _Rotulus redituum Essensis._--Ibid.

5. _The Frekkenhorst Roll._--Denkmaler von Dorow, 1, 2, 1.

6. _Glossae Saxonicae, e Codice Argentorat._--Diutisca, 192.

7. _T. Lipsii; Epist. cent. III. ad Belgas pertinentium, Ep._ 44.

8. _Hildebrand._--Heroic fragment, in alliterative metre.

9. _The Carolinian Psalms._--A translation of the Psalms, referred to the time of Charlemagne; sometimes considered to be old Batavian.

10. _Heliand_, a Gospel Harmony in alliterative metre, and the chief _Old_ Saxon composition extant. {26}

SPECIMEN.

-- 64. _Heliand_, pp. 12, 13. (_Schmeller's Edition._)

LUC. II. 8-13.

Tho uuard managun cud, Then it was to many known, Obar thesa uuidon uuerold. Over this wide world.

Uuardos antfundun, The words they discovered, Thea thar ehuscalcos Those that there, as horse-grooms, Uta uuarun, Were without, Uueros an uuahtu, Men at watch, Uuiggeo gomean, Horses to tend, Fehas aftar felda: Cattle on the field-- Gisahun finistri an tuue They saw the darkness in two Telatan an lufte; Dissipated in the atmosphere, Endi quam lioht G.o.des, And came a light of G.o.d Uuanum thurh thui uuolcan; --through the welkin; Endi thea uuardos thar And the words there Bifeng an them felda. Caught on the field.

Sie uurdun an forhtun tho, They were in fright then Thea man an ira moda; The men in their mood-- Gisahun thar mahtigna They saw there mighty G.o.des Engil c.u.man; Angel of G.o.d come; The im tegegnes sprac. That to them face to face spake.

Het that im thea uuardos-- It bade them these words-- "Uuiht ne antdredin "Dread not a whit Ledes fon them liohta. Of mischief from the light.

Ic scal eu quad he liobora thing, I shall to you speak glad things, Suido uuarlico Very true; Uuilleon seggean, Say commands; Cudean craft mikil. Show great strength.

Nu is Krist geboran, Now is Christ born, An thesero selbun naht, In this self-same night; Salig barn G.o.des, The blessed child of G.o.d, An thera Davides burg, In David's city, Drohtin the G.o.do. The Lord the good.

That is mendislo That is exultation Manno cunneas, To the races of men, Allaro firiho fruma. Of all men the advancement.

Thar gi ina fidan mugun, There ye may find him An Bethlema burg, In the city of Bethlehem, Barno rikiost. The n.o.blest of children-- Hebbiath that te tecna, Ye have as a token {27} That ic eu gitellean mag, That I tell ye Uuarun uuordun, True words, That he thar biuundan ligid, That he there swathed lieth, That kind an enera cribbiun, The child in a crib, Tho he si cuning obar al Though he be King over all Erdun endi himiles, Earth and Heaven, Endi obar eldeo barn, And over the sons of men, Uueroldes uualdand." Of the world the Ruler."

Reht so he tho that uuord gespracenun Right as he that word spake, So uuard thar engilo te them So was there of Angels to them, Unrim c.u.man, In a mult.i.tude, come Helag heriskepi, A holy host, Fon hebanuuanga, From the Heaven-plains, f.a.gar folc G.o.des, The fair folk of G.o.d, Endi filu sprakun, And much they spake Lofuuord manag, Praise-words many, Liudeo herron; _To_ the Lord of Hosts (people).

Athobun tho helagna sang, They raised the holy song, Tho sie eft te hebanuuanga As they back to the Heaven-plains Uundun thurh thin uuolcan. Wound through the welkin.

Thea uuardos hordun, The words they heard, Huo thin engilo craft How the strength of the Angels Alomahtigna G.o.d, The Almighty G.o.d, Suido uuerdlico, Very worthily, Uuordun louodun. With words praised.

"Diurida si nu," quadun sie, "Love be there now," quoth they, "Drohtine selbun, "To the Lord himself An them hohoston On the highest Himilo rikea; Kingdom of Heaven, Endi fridu an erdu, And peace on earth Firiho barnum, To the children of men, G.o.duuilligun gumun, Goodwilled men Them the G.o.d antkennead, Who know G.o.d, Thurh hluttran hugi." Through a pure mind."

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CHAPTER IV.

AFFINITIES OF THE ENGLISH WITH THE LANGUAGES OF GERMANY AND SCANDINAVIA.

-- 65. The last chapter has limited the Anglo-Saxon area to the northern part of the Saxon area in general. Further details, however, upon this point, may stand over until the _general_ affinities of the English language have been considered.

-- 66. Over and above those languages of Germany and Holland which were akin to the dialects of the Angles and the Saxons, cognate languages were spoken in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, and the Feroe isles, _i.e._, in Scandinavia.

-- 67. The general collective designation for the Germanic tongues of Germany and Holland, and for the Scandinavian languages of Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Iceland, and the Feroe Isles, is taken from the name of those German tribes who, during the decline of the Roman Empire, were best known to the Romans as the _Goths_; the term _Gothic_ for the Scandinavian and Germanic languages, collectively, being both current and convenient.

-- 68. Of this great _stock_ of languages the Scandinavian is one _branch_; the Germanic, called also Teutonic, another.

-- 69. The Scandinavian branch of the Gothic stock comprehends, 1. The dialects of Scandinavia Proper, _i.e._, of Norway and Sweden; 2. of the Danish isles and Jutland; 3. of Iceland; 4. of the Feroe Isles. On the side of Lapland the languages of this branch come in contact with the Laplandic and Finlandic; whilst in Sleswick they are bounded by the Low German. {29}

SPECIMENS.

_Icelandic_ (Fareynga-Saga--Ed. Mohnike).

Ok nu er at eitthvert sinn um sumarit, at Sigmundr maelti til oris: "Hvat mun vera, o at vi farim i skog enna, er her er norr fra gari?" orir svarar: "a vi er mer eingi forvitni," segir hann. "Ekki er mer sva gefit," segir Sigmundr, "ok angat skal ek fara." "u munt raa hljota," segir urir, "en brjotum vi a boor fostra mins." Nu foru eir, ok hafi Sigmundr viaroxi eina i hendi ser; koma i skoginn, ok i rjor eitt f.a.gurt; ok er eir hafa ar eigi leingi verit, a heyra eir bjorn mikinn harla ok grimligan. at var vibjorn mikill, ulfgrar at lit. eir hlaupa nu aptra a stiginn an, er eir holu angat farit; stigrinn var mjor ok raurigr, ok hleypr orir fyrir, en Sigmundr siar. Drit bleypr nu eptir eim a stiginn, ok verr vi raungr stigrinn, ok brotna eikrnar fyrir vi. Sigmundr snyr a skjott ut af stignum millum trjanna, ok bir ar til er dyrit kemr jafn-fram honum.

a hoggr hann jafnt meal hl.u.s.ta a d[^y]rinu me tveim hondum, sva at exin sokkr. En d[^y]rit fellr afram, ok er dautt.

_Feroic._

Nu var so til ajna Ferina um Summari, at Sigmundur snakkaji so vi Towra: "Kvat man bagga, towat vd farin uj henda Skowin, uj er her noran-firi Garin?" Towrur svarar, "Ikkji havi e Hu at forvitnast ettir tuj," sir han. "Ikkji eri e so sintur," sir Sigmundur, "og haar skal e fara." "Tu fert t at ra," sir Towrur, "men t browtum vid Forbo Fostirfajir mujns." Nu fowru tajr, og Sigmundur heji ajna oksi til Brennuv uj Hondini; tajr koma in uj Skowin, og ajt vakurt rudda Plos men ikkji hava tajr veri har lajngji, firin tajr hojra kvodtt Brak uj Skownun, og brt ettir sujgja tajr ajna egvulia stowra Bjodn og gruiska. Ta va ajn stowr s...o...b..odn grgulmut Litinun. Tair lejpa nu attir Rsina, sum tajr hoddu gingji ettir; Rsin var mjv og trong; Towrur lejpur undan, og Sigmundur attan. Djowri leipur nu ettir tajmum Rsini; og nu verur Rsin trong kj tuj, so at Ajkjinar brotnavu fr tuj. Sigmundur snujur t kvikliani utaf Rsini inimidlum Trjini, og bujar har til Djowri kjemur abajnt han. T hoggur han bajnt uj Ojrnalystri Djowrinum vi bvun Hondun, so at oxin sokkur in, og Djowri dettir bajnt framettir, og er standejt.

_Swedish._

Och nu var det engng on sommaren, som Sigmund sade till Th.o.r.er: "Hvad mnde val deraf warda, om vi ter g ut i skogen, som ligger der norr on grden?" "Det ar jag alldeles icke nyfiken att veta," svarade Thor.

"Icke gr det s med mig," sade Sigmund, "och ditret maste jag." "Du kommer d att rda," sade Thor, "men dermed ofvertrada vi vr {30} Fosterfaders bud." De gingo nu stad, och Sigmund bade en vedyxa i handen; de kommo in i skogen, och strat derp fingo de se en ganska stor och vildsinnt bjorn, en drpelig skogsbjorn, varg-gr till fargen.

De sprungo d tillbaka p samma stig som de hade kommit dit. Stigen var smal och trng; och Th.o.r.er sprang frmst, men Sigmund efterst. Djuret lopp nu efter dem p stigen, och stigen blef trng for detsamma, s att traden sonderbrotos i dess lopp. Sigmund vande d kurtigt retaf frn stigen, och stallde sig mellan traden, samt stod der, tills djuret kom fram midt for honom. D fattade han yxan med begge handerna, och hogg midt emellan oronen p djuret, s att yxan gick in, och djuret stortade framt, och dog p stallet.