Thorn (þ) wouldn't be appropriate in "that" since the th is voiced. Thorn (þ) is used for voiceless th. Instead, it should be ðat, using Eth, which is a voiced th.
It's perfectly appropriate to use thorn for all th sounds, eth existed in Old English and modern Icelandic but it wasn't a thing in Middle or Early Modern English, unlike thorn. Old English is basically unrecognizable as English though, so this dialogue is faux Early Modern English. Most people who use thorn in English nowadays are drawing from the Early Modern usage.
Thorn (þ) depends on the language using it. Unless you're just going with the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) to spell however you like, then all bets are off.
AFAIK, Icelandic is the only language that uses Thorn now. However they only use it at the beginning of a word, and it's specifically the voiceless th sound like in the word thin. Eth (ð) would be used here, again in Icelandic, but it would be a voiced th, like in then.
But, since it's not Icelandic, and it's not a voiceless th, Thorn would be a phonetically appropriate IPA letter to use.
As for your second question about a serf speaking that way? I-unno...
Thanks for the input. That's basically what I found on Wikipedia, but what was used in earlier periods seems to be beyond their scope. Linguistics is both fascinating and complicated. As a monolingual English writer I think I'd have trouble transitioning back to þ, but I love the idea of its use.
I just feel bad for the isopods because as "bugs" go, they're definitely more at home in the cute and helpful quadrant than anything even remotely devil-like.
26 Comments
grue@lemmy.world · 37 pts · 267d
Say what you will about that one user who keeps getting downvoted, but the movement to bring back thorn is gaining momentum.
Broadfern@lemmy.world · 14 pts · 267d
That’s also who I thought of, lol. In honor of them: long live þe þorn!
missfrizzle@discuss.tchncs.de · 13 pts · 267d
I'm here for the þornography.
Canadian_Cabinet@lemmy.ca · 31 pts · 267d
It hurts me that they got it right with þe but the other two are wrong
missfrizzle@discuss.tchncs.de · 6 pts · 267d
so apparently most þornographers don't use eð ðe IPA/Icelandic way, because historically(?) ðe same letter was used for boþ.
I agree wið you personally ðo.
SchwertImStein@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 1 pts · 266d
remindeth is archaic but ok though, isn't it?
ininewcrow@lemmy.ca · 21 pts · 267d
Recently learned that .... þ ... is an old letter that is pronounced 'th'
A bit jarring to see them use the first word .... þhat ... which would be .... 'th'hat
PunnyName@lemmy.world · 21 pts · 267d
Thorn (þ) wouldn't be appropriate in "that" since the th is voiced. Thorn (þ) is used for voiceless th. Instead, it should be ðat, using Eth, which is a voiced th.
melmi@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 12 pts · 267d
It's perfectly appropriate to use thorn for all th sounds, eth existed in Old English and modern Icelandic but it wasn't a thing in Middle or Early Modern English, unlike thorn. Old English is basically unrecognizable as English though, so this dialogue is faux Early Modern English. Most people who use thorn in English nowadays are drawing from the Early Modern usage.
missfrizzle@discuss.tchncs.de · 4 pts · 267d
I agree on historically grounds but it still grinds my gears. but also I want to bring back Old English grammatical cases
wolframhydroxide@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 266d
Remember 1066! Never forget!
TheRealKuni@piefed.social · 7 pts · 267d
Iirc, eth fell out of use before thorn did, and at that time thorn took the role of both.
But I don’t actually know.
Rhaedas@fedia.io · 9 pts · 267d
is the ending þ correct or is it only at the start of words? And would a serf use "remindeth" anyway?
PunnyName@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 267d
Thorn (þ) depends on the language using it. Unless you're just going with the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA) to spell however you like, then all bets are off.
AFAIK, Icelandic is the only language that uses Thorn now. However they only use it at the beginning of a word, and it's specifically the voiceless th sound like in the word thin. Eth (ð) would be used here, again in Icelandic, but it would be a voiced th, like in then.
But, since it's not Icelandic, and it's not a voiceless th, Thorn would be a phonetically appropriate IPA letter to use.
As for your second question about a serf speaking that way? I-unno...
Rhaedas@fedia.io · 4 pts · 267d
Thanks for the input. That's basically what I found on Wikipedia, but what was used in earlier periods seems to be beyond their scope. Linguistics is both fascinating and complicated. As a monolingual English writer I think I'd have trouble transitioning back to þ, but I love the idea of its use.
PunnyName@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 267d
If you wanna go crazy: https://www.internationalphoneticassociation.org/IPAcharts/inter_chart_2018/IPA_2018.html
Rhaedas@fedia.io · 3 pts · 267d
Interesting. Also, how do you stop brain bleeds? :D
PunnyName@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 267d
cliffracer_cloaka@piefed.social · 3 pts · 267d
I think it's a joke language, not actual middle English.
Goodtoknow@lemmy.ca · 7 pts · 267d
This is just a depiction of modern times. I am a serf :(
Korhaka@sopuli.xyz · 4 pts · 267d
They probably are stuff like crabs so it's hardly that wild
harmbugler@piefed.social · 1 pts · 266d
I suspect the top response would be "Can we eat it?"
toynbee@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 267d
You're not one of the people I have tagged as using thorns.
ExLisper@lemmy.curiana.net · 3 pts · 267d
How do you give someone gold here?
InvalidName2@lemmy.zip · 3 pts · 267d
I just feel bad for the isopods because as "bugs" go, they're definitely more at home in the cute and helpful quadrant than anything even remotely devil-like.
ZILtoid1991@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 266d
I was looking for this video on their channels, where did I miss it? Or did The Serfs delete it?