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The Wordhord
The Wordhord: Daily Life in Old English | Hana Videen
10 posts | 6 read | 8 to read
An entertaining collection of strange, delightful and unexpectedly apt words from the origins of English, which illuminates the lives, beliefs and habits of our linguistic ancestors. 'A wonderful book heaving with linguistic treasure ... joyfully clever' - Edward Brooke-Hitching author of The Madman's Library 'A lovely, lovely read' - Lucy Mangan 'Splendid' - David Crystal 'A rich meditation on words, a thoughtful cultural history and a delicious box of delights' - Nicola Griffith, author of Hild Old English is the language we think we know until we actually see it. Used in England over a thousand years ago, it is rich with words that haven't changed (word), others that are unrecognisable (neorxnawang - paradise) and some that are curiously mystifying (gafol-fisc - tax-fish). In this beautiful little book, Hana Videen has gathered these gems together to create a glorious trove and illuminate the lives, beliefs and habits of our linguistic ancestors. We discover a world where choking on a bit of bread might prove your guilt, where fiend-ship was as likely as friend-ship, and you might grow up to be a laughter-smith. These are the magical roots of our own language: you'll never see English in the same way again.
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bibliothecarivs
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Recent acquisitions:

📖 The Wordhord: Daily Life in Old English by Hana Videen
📖 Brave Enterprise: A History of the Shakespeare Memorial Theatre Stratford-Upon-Avon by A. K. Chesterton

#UniteAgainstBookBans #LetUtahRead

RaeLovesToRead Where did you get those bookends? (Lower shelf) 5mo
bibliothecarivs @RaeLovesToRead, I wish I could remember. Some interior design store, I think. They're nice but they're actually my least beautiful and interesting bookends. haha 5mo
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Texreader
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The family went to the San Antonio Museum of Art today to see a special exhibit from England of medieval armor. I bought this one from the gift shop. Sort of part of the great February book haul

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rabbitprincess
Pickpick

A great concept and a well-structured book. I liked the lists of words at the end of each chapter and the pronunciation guides; these make the word lists fun to read aloud!

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readingjedi
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Pickpick

Fascinating, informative & fun, this book was a joy from start to finish. The author's love of language is evident on every page & her enthusiasm is thoroughly infectious. It's so interesting to discover the roots of modern English, what's changed and what's stayed the same. The pronunciation guides keep this book accessible to the armchair linguist & the wit & warmth avoids the stuffiness of a more academic tome. An ideal gift for word lovers!

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readingjedi
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It is a wet and gloomy day in Yorkshire's east riding today. Can't wait to get in from work and settle down with this book, a blanket & a large coffee!

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The_Penniless_Author
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Pickpick

I'm a language/etymology nerd and got turned onto this book by my favorite podcast, A Way With Words. A well-researched and engagingly written study of Old English and how it eventually morphed into the language we speak today. Worth it alone to learn the subtle differences between aelf-siden (elf-enchantment), aelf-adl (elf-disease), and aelf-sogetha (elf-ailment). 😂

The_Penniless_Author Also pictured for no reason: the results of my family's first attempt at glass-blowing, at the Corning Museum of Glass, maybe the single coolest museum of any type that I've ever visited 🤩 2y
RaeLovesToRead I ❤ your glass thingys! 😊 2y
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The_Penniless_Author
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Reading has been slow-going as of late, but on the plus side I did come across this early medieval recipe for treating "elf-enchantment" ?‍♀️?‍♂️

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The_Penniless_Author
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#FirstLineFridays @ShyBookOwl

Wander down a small alley off London's Fleet Street and you'll find a pub with a crooked, creaky charm.

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Hamlet
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Pickpick

This book is enjoyable reading. The notions she explores about ordinary living in the Old English period in Britain are fun & surprising. Women in early medieval Britain could rule; they could own, inherit, & sell land… news to me! I enjoyed finding origins of words, such as lufu=love, sōth (spelled with a “thorn”)=truth, source of our “sooth,” as in soothsayer. It‘s light on language history, but works as a foray into an old tongue & its mindset.

EvieBee Sounds fascinating! Checking the library. 2y
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readingjedi
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Got this gorgeous book for Christmas. It's totally up my street. Also, as an enthusiastic armchair linguist, I love the title. Word and hord. Ward and hord. Word and hurd. I love the English language!

batsy That looks lovely! 3y
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