The Anglic Languages

[Albion]

Often the Germanic heritage of the British Isles outside of England gets neglected in favour of the trend towards Celtic Culture.
The British Isles, lying at the North / South crossroads of Europe has been for the past centuries the frontier between Germanic, Celtic and lesser so, Romanic cultures in Europe.

Of the Germanic languages once spoken in the British Isles, all members of the North Germanic group are extinct here.
Only West Germanic remains in the form of the Anglic Languages (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_languages), an offshoot of the Anglo-Frisian Languages (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anglo-Frisian_languages) which are in turn an offshoot of West Germanic.

The Anglic Languages developed from the spread of early Middle English around the British Isles.
In Ireland this was due to the Normans taking with them English peasantry to their new conquests.
The languages whilst generally mutually intelligible to a British English speaker, particularly of Northern and Midland dialects are nevertheless very distinctive.

Archaic features and vocabulary often survived alongside influence from other languages such as Old Norse or the Celtic languages.
Of the four Anglic Languages, only English and Scots survive to this day. A third, Yola has lent much vocabulary to a dialect in Wexford, Ireland.

Germanic > West Germanic > Old English > Middle English > Anglic Languages

English:
Germanic > West Germanic > Anglo-Frisian > Old English > All Middle English dialects > Modern English

No explanation needed. This is the core language of the group and the most predominant.

http://members.peak.org/~jeremy/dictionaryclassic/figures/dialectsUK.gif
English dialects

Scots:
Germanic > West Germanic > Anglo-Frisian > Old English > Northern dialects of Middle English > Scots

Often termed an English dialect, Scots is indeed close to many Northern English dialects.
However it tends to retain a lot of Germanic vocabulary and Celtic borrowings which English doesn't and is an interesting language in relation to English.

Scots also has an offshoot in Northern Ireland, Ulster Scots which spread with Scottish planters.

Scots is generally used instead of or alongside English due to its compatibility with English.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d5/Scotsdialects.png/557px-Scotsdialects.png
Scots dialects

Read More... (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Modern_Scots)

Yola:
Germanic > West Germanic > Anglo-Frisian > Old English > South Western (Devon / Somerset) Middle English > Yola

Yola was formerly spoken in a select few areas of Wexford, Ireland (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/County_Wexford) and was carried there by English settlers accompanying the Norman barons Strongbow and Robert Fitzstephen to eastern Ireland in 1169.

The dialect, which in the period before its extinction was known as "Yola", meaning "old", evolved separately from the mainstream of English. Perhaps as a result of the geographic isolation and predominately rural character of the communities where it was spoken, Yola seems to have changed little down the centuries from when it first arrived in Ireland, apart from assimilating many Irish words. By the early 19th century, it was distinctly different from English spoken elsewhere.
The language continued to be spoken in south County Wexford until the early to mid-19th century when it was gradually replaced with modern Hiberno-English. By the mid 19th century, the language was only spoken in remote parts of Forth, County Wexford.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4e/Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Wexford.svg/500px-Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Wexford.svg.png
Former location of Yola

Read More... (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yola_language)

Fingalian:
Germanic > West Germanic > Anglo-Frisian > Old English > South Western (Devon / Somerset) Middle English > Fingalian

Fingalian is an extinct language formerly spoken in Fingal, Ireland, an area to the north of Dublin. A West Germanic dialect, it descended from the Middle English introduced following the Norman invasion of Ireland. It was extinct by the mid-19th century. It was similar to the Yola language spoken in Wexford.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/50/Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Fingal.svg/500px-Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Fingal.svg.png
Former location of Fingalian

Read More... (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fingalian_language)

[Albion]

Yola:


English > Yola > Frisian > Dutch

Wexford - Weisforthe - "Wexford" - "Wexford"
Sun - Zin - Sinne - Zon
Land - Lhoan - lân - Land
Day - Die - Dei - Dag
Yourself - Theezil - dysels - Jelzelf
Friend - Vriene - Freon - Vriend
The - a, ee - de, it - de, het
Thing - dhing - ding - ding
Who - fho - wa - wie
Go - ee go - gean - gaan
Fear - egast - frees - vrees
Old - Yola - âld - aud

A Yola Song

Fade teil thee zo lournagh, co Joane, zo knaggee?
Th' weithest all curcagh, wafur, an cornee.
Lidge w'ouse an a milagh, tis gaay an louthee:
Huck nigher; y'art scuddeen; fartoo zo hachee?
Well, gosp, c'hull be zeid; mot thee fartoo, an fade;
Ha deight ouse var gabble, tell ee zin go t'glade.
Ch'am a stouk, an a donel; wou'll leigh out ee dey.
Th' valler w'speen here, th' lass ee chourch-hey.
Yerstey w'had a baree, gist ing oor hoane,
Aar gentrize ware bibbern, aamzil cou no stoane.
Yith Muzleare had ba hole, t'was mee Tommeen,
At by mizluck was ee-pit t'drive in.
Joud an moud vrem earchee ete was ee Lough.
Zitch vaperreen, an shimmereen, fan ee-daf ee aar scoth!
Zitch blakeen, an blayeen, fan ee ball was ee-drowe!
Chote well aar aim was t'yie ouz n'eer a blowe.
Mot w'all aar boust, hi soon was ee-teight
At aar errone was var ameing 'ar 'ngish ee-height.
Zitch vezzeen, tarvizzeen, 'tell than w'ne'er zey.
Nore zichel ne'er well, nowe, nore ne'er mey.
(There are nine more verses).

Rough translation into Modern English

What ails you so melancholy, quoth John, so cross?
You seem all snappish, uneasy, and fretful.
Lie with us on the clover, 'tis fair and sheltered:
Come nearer; you're rubbing your back; why so ill tempered?
Well, gossip, it shall be told; you ask me what ails me, and for what;
You have put us in talk, till the sun goes to set.
I am a fool and a dunce; we'll idle out the day.
The more we spend here, the less in the churchyard.
Yesterday we had a goal just in our hand.
Their gentry were quaking, themselves could not stand.
If Good-for-little had been buried, it had been my Tommy,
Who by misluck was placed to drive in.
Throngs and crowds from each quarter were at the Lough;
Such vapouring and glittering when stript in their shirts!
Such bawling and shouting, when the ball was thrown!
I saw their intent was to give us ne'er a stroke.
But with all their bravado they were soon taught
That their errand was aiming to bring anguish upon them
Such driving, and struggling, 'till then we ne'er saw
Nor such never will, no, nor never may.

Address to Lord Lieutenant in 1836

MAI’T BE PLESANT TO TH’ECCELLENCIE, - Wee, Vassalès o’ ‘His Most Gracious majesty’, Wilyame ee Vourthe, an, az wee verilie chote, na coshe and loyale dwellerès na Baronie Forthe, crave na dicke luckie acte t’uck neicher th’ Eccellencie, an na plaine grabe o’ oure yola talke, wi vengem o’ core t’gie ours zense o’ y gradès whilke be ee-dighte wi yer name; and whilke we canna zei, albeit o’ ‘Governere’, ‘Statesman’, an alike. Yn ercha and aul o’ while yt beeth wi gleezom o’ core th’ oure eyen dwytheth apan ye Vigere o’dicke Zouvereine, Wilyame ee Vourthe, unnere fose fatherlie zwae oure diaez be ee-spant, az avare ye trad dicke londe yer name waz ee-kent var ee vriene o’ livertie, an He fo brake ye neckares o’ zlaves. Mang ourzels – var wee dwytheth an Irelonde az ure genreale haim – y’ast, bie ractzom o’honde, ee-delt t’ouz ye laas ee-mate var ercha vassale, ne’er dwythen na dicke waie nar dicka. Wee dwyth ye ane fose dais be gien var ee guidevare o’ye londe ye zwae, - t’avance pace an livertie, an, wi’oute vlynch, ee garde o’ generale reights an poplare vartue. Ye pace – yea, we mai zei, ye vast pace whilke bee ee-stent owr ye londe zince th’ast ee-cam, proo’th, y’at wee alane needeth ye giftes o’generale rights, az be displayth bie ee factes o’thie goveremente. Ye state na dicke daie o’ye londe, na whilke be nar fash nar moile, albeit ‘constitutional agitation’, ye wake o’hopes ee-blighte, stampe na yer zwae be rare an lightzom. Yer name var zetch avancet avare ye, e’en a dicke var hye, arent whilke ye brine o’zea an dye craggès o’noghanes cazed nae balke. Na oure gladès ana whilke we dellt wi’ mattoke, an zing t’oure caulès wi plou, wee hert ee zough o’ye colure o’ pace na name o’ Mulgrave. Wi Irishmen ower generale houpes be ee-boud – az Irishmen, an az dwellerès na cosh an loyale o’ Baronie Forthe, w’oul daie an ercha daie, our meines an oure gurles, praie var long an happie zins, shorne o’lournagh an ee-vilt wi benisons, an yersel and oure gude Zovereine, till ee zin o’oure daies be var aye be ee-go to’glade.

Standard English Translation

MAY IT PLEASE YOUR EXCELLENCY – We, the subjects of his Most Gracious Majesty, William IV, and, as we verily believe, both faithful and loyal inhabitants of the Barony of Forth, beg leave at this favourable opportunity to approach your Excellency, and in the simple dress of our old dialect to pour forth from the strength (or fullness) of our hearts, our sense (or admiration) of the qualities which characterise your name, and for which we have no words but of ‘Governor’, ‘Statesman’, etc. In each and every condition it is with joy of heart that our eyes rest upon the representative of the Sovereign, William IV, under whose paternal rule our days are spent; for before your foot pressed the soil, your name was known to us as the friend of liberty, and he who broke the fetters of the slave. Unto ourselves – for we look on Ireland to be our common country – you have with impartial hand ministered the laws made for every subject, without regard to this party or that. We behold in you one whose days are devoted to the welfare of the land you govern, to promote peace and liberty – the uncompromising guardian of the common right and public virtue. The peace – yes, we may say the profound peace – which overspreads the land since your arrival, proves that we alone stood in need of the enjoyment of common privileges, as is demonstrated by the results of your government. The condition, this day, of the country, in which is neither tumult nor disorder, but that constitutional agitation, the consequence of disappointed hopes, confirms your rule to be rare and enlightened. Your fame for such came before you even into this retired spot, to which neither the waters of the sea below nor the mountains above caused any impediment. In our valleys, where we were digging with the spade, or as we whistled to our horses in the plough, we heard the distant sound of the wings of the dove of peace, in the word Mulgrave. With Irishmen our common hopes are inseparably bound up – as Irishmen, and as inhabitants, faithful and loyal, of the Barony Forth, we will daily and every day, our wives and our children, implore long and happy days, free from melancholy and full of blessings, for yourself and our good Sovereign, until the sun of our lives be gone down the dark valley (of death).

Scots:

From Hallow-Fair (Robert Fergusson 1750–1774)
At Hallowmas, whan nights grow lang,
And starnies shine fu' clear,
Whan fock, the nippin cauld to bang,
Their winter hap-warms wear,
Near Edinbrough a fair there hads,
I wat there's nane whase name is,
For strappin dames an sturdy lads,
And cap and stoup, mair famous
Than it that day.
Upo' the tap o' ilka lum
The sun bagan to keek,
And bad the trig made maidens come
A sightly joe to seek
At Hallow-fair, whare browsters rare
Keep gude ale on the gantries,
And dinna scrimp ye o' a skair
O' kebbucks frae their pantries,
Fu' saut that day.

From The Maker to Posterity (Robert Louis Stevenson 1850–1894)
Far 'yont amang the years to be
When a' we think, an' a' we see,
An' a' we luve, `s been dung ajee
By time's rouch shouther,
An' what was richt and wrang for me
Lies mangled throu'ther,
It's possible - it's hardly mair -
That some ane, ripin' after lear -
Some auld professor or young heir,
If still there's either -
May find an' read me, an' be sair
Perplexed, puir brither!
"What tongue does your auld bookie speak?"
He'll spier; an' I, his mou to steik:
"No bein' fit to write in Greek,
I write in Lallan,
Dear to my heart as the peat reek,
Auld as Tantallon.
"Few spak it then, an' noo there's nane.
My puir auld sangs lie a' their lane,
Their sense, that aince was braw an' plain,
Tint a'thegether,
Like runes upon a standin' stane
Amang the heather.


From The House with the Green Shutters (George Douglas Brown 1869–1902)
He was born the day the brig on the Fleckie Road gaed down, in the year o' the great flood; and since the great flood it’s twelve year come Lammas. Rab Tosh o' Fleckie’s wife was heavy-footed at the time, and Doctor Munn had been a' nicht wi' her, and when he came to Barbie Water in the morning it was roaring wide frae bank to brae; where the brig should have been there was naething but the swashing o' the yellow waves. Munn had to drive a' the way round to the Fechars brig, and in parts of the road, the water was so deep that it lapped his horse’s bellyband.
A' this time Mistress Gourlay was skirling in her pains an praying to God she micht dee. Gourlay had been a great cronie o' Munn’s, but he quarrelled him for being late; he had trysted him, ye see, for the occasion, and he had been twenty times at the yett to look for him-ye ken how little he would stomach that; he was ready to brust wi' anger. Munn, mad for the want o' sleep and wat to the bane, swüre back at him; and than Goulay wadna let him near his wife! Ye mind what an awful day it was; the thunder roared as if the heavens were tumbling on the world, and the lichtnin sent the trees daudin on the roads, and folk hid below their beds an prayed-they thocht it was the judgment! But Gourlay rammed his black stepper in the shafts and drave like the devil o' Hell to Skeighan Drone, where there was a young doctor. The lad was feared to come, but Gourlay swore by God that he should, and he gaired him. In a' the countryside, driving like his that day was never kenned or heard tell o'; they were back within the hour!
I saw them gallop up Main Street; lichtin struck the ground before them; the young doctor covered his face wi' his hands, and the horse nichered wi' fear an tried to wheel, but Gourlay stood up in the gig and lashed him on though the fire. It was thocht for lang that Mrs. Gourlay would die, and she was never the same womman after. Atweel aye, sirs. Gorlay has that morning's work to blame for the poor wife he has now.

[Albion]

Whilst Scots is very similar to English and easily understood by many Midland and Northern English speakers, Yola is very different.
Yola sounds old and whilst largely understandable, it does contain a fair amount of vocabulary that is absent from English.

Yola particularly draws my interest with such a interesting history, if only it were still alive today.
I think the Germanic languages of the British Isles, as stated in the beginning, are often overlooked by those looking towards the more Celtic aspects of history.
To disregard such languages is to disregard elements of ones heritage, it is good to see Scots being supported in Scotland, it is just a shame it is too late for Yola and Fingalian.

[Logan]

Often the Germanic heritage of the British Isles outside of England gets neglected in favour of the trend towards Celtic Culture.

The Anglic Languages developed from the spread of early Middle English around the British Isles, a process largely due to the Normans taking with them English peasantry to their new conquests.
The languages whilst generally mutually intelligible to a British English speaker, particularly of Northern and Midland dialects are nevertheless very distinctive.


So we have the Normans to thank for the preservation of the Englic language? Poppycock! The English language owes much more to the original English, the Danish and the Norwegian immigrants, and much less to Norman aristocrates. Claxton seems to have been, in favour of a cock and bull story, overlooked as well. The Normans had some influence.

http://blogs.wvgazette.com/wvbookfestival/files/2011/02/oed.jpg

7UG6vHXArlk

[Albion]

So we have the Normans to thank for the preservation of the Englic language? Poppycock! The English language owes much more to the original English, the Danish and the Norwegian immigrants, and much less to Norman aristocrates. Claxton seems to have been, in favour of a cock and bull story, overlooked as well. The Normans had some influence.

http://blogs.wvgazette.com/wvbookfestival/files/2011/02/oed.jpg

7UG6vHXArlk

What are you on about? English is descended from Old English which then developed into Middle English.
From Middle English developed the rest of the Anglic Languages as offshoots whereas the main body developed inti modern English.

Most Anglic languages owe a lot to North Germanic in the form of vocabulary too.
Where did I say it was due to the Normans?

[Logan]

What are you on about? English is descended from Old English which then developed into Middle English.
From Middle English developed the rest of the Anglic Languages as offshoots whereas the main body developed inti modern English.

Most Anglic languages owe a lot to North Germanic in the form of vocabulary too.
Where did I say it was due to the Normans?

I was not replying to what you last posted but to:

'The Anglic Languages developed from the spread of early Middle English around the British Isles, a process largely due to the Normans taking with them English peasantry to their new conquests.'

I do not agree. I did not think I was being obscure.

[Albion]

I was not replying to what you last posted but to:

'The Anglic Languages developed from the spread of early Middle English around the British Isles, a process largely due to the Normans taking with them English peasantry to their new conquests.'

I do not agree. I did not think I was being obscure.

Ah, I see. Yes, that only applies to Ireland, well spotted.

*Corrected*

[Grace O'Malley]

I've never heard of the Yola and Fingalian languages before. The first time I've heard of them was from Albion in the British is More Germanic Than It Thinks thread. I suppose the people that spoke these languages were English settlers in Ireland. I don't think this is something that is much publicised in Ireland as I've never heard of these languages before. I wonder what the dna results of a county like Wexford is?

[Albion]

I've never heard of the Yola and Fingalian languages before. The first time I've heard of them was from Albion in the British is More Germanic Than It Thinks thread. I suppose the people that spoke these languages were English settlers in Ireland. I don't think this is something that is much publicised in Ireland as I've never heard of these languages before. I wonder what the dna results of a county like Wexford is?

Yes, it was the language of English settlers in Wexford. Wexford DNA will probably be slightly different to the rest of the country. My surname and a lot of English ones turn up there a lot.

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/2623/bbrf.png

http://img20.imageshack.us/img20/3350/27h8.png

http://img62.imageshack.us/img62/2857/x2th.png

[Rudel]

Have some Ewan MacColl on me.


http://youtu.be/mVijHUOq4vw


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cl45-TSEYwY