The Outdated English Wordhord unlocks one medieval phrase a day, pairing every time period with its definition, pronunciation and, usually, a manuscript illustration. Creator (of ought to or not it’s wordwyrm?) Dr. Hana Videen frames the challenge across the fabulous title: “word-hoard describes the gathering of phrases and phrases {that a} poet might draw upon whereas crafting tales.”
Videen posted her first phrase, wordhord, on Nov. 13, 2013, and has posted usually since; Outdated English was England’s vernacular from roughly 550 to 1150. The phrase wordhord survives solely seven instances within the literature, she writes, all in poetry, and often seems beside the verb onleac, or “unlocked,” in works together with Beowulf and Widsith. The Wordhord additionally could also be unlocked as an iOS app.
Latest entries embrace Sige-gefeoht, which suggests a victorious battle, Moððe, a moth, (which arrives with a noticed specimen from the 14th-century Cocharelli Codex) and Weorc-līc, “working” or “busy,” as are all of us.
Videen earned her Outdated English doctorate at King’s School London and has two books out: The Wordhord: Day by day Life in Outdated English (2021, 2022) and The Deorhord: An Outdated English Bestiary (2023, 2024).
I discovered the hord when double-checking an AI’s doubtful insistence that Heóf means “heaven”, not “grief”—seems it was mistaken (Heofon is the place to be, although not heofan) however even the specialists appear uncertain in regards to the distinction between heaf and heof within the classification of detrimental emotions. If the Normans hadn’t invaded, although, the pairing may now be a an appropriately miserable Anglish model of sugar-free espresso creamer. Bosworth-Toller is the usual searchable Anglo-Saxon dictionary (heóf, heáf). If we might toy with undead tongues, the Endangered Languages Undertaking serves these nonetheless barely flapping. The College of Kentucky’s Digital Beowulf lets anybody web page by means of the fire-damaged authentic. If you have not learn it in fashionable English, go all the way in which, Bro!
