3 ms·
> What's “schuleth” then? Maybe something do to with schools? It turns out not. This is a form of “shall, should” but in this context it has its old meaning, no
by lqet 6y ago
> What's “schuleth” then? Maybe something do to with schools? It turns out not. This is a form of “shall, should” but in this context it has its old meaning, now lost, of “owe
It's still "schulden" (to owe) in German, and "trybut" is still "tribut", and "alle" is still "alle", and "hoppen" (or "hopfen") is still used in some German dialects as "jump"/"dance", and "alwey" (or "alleweil" / "ällweil") is still used in southern Germany for "always" - my grandfather still uses it. "Ȝelde" is very close to the modern German "vergelten" (repay) or "abgelten" (compensate), and even to "Geld" (money).
The only word that seems strangely out of context is "dettes", and as it turns out, this word is French.
As a German, when I read Middle English, I always have the strange feeling that someone tried to "correct" or clarify a Modern English text, but only partly succeeded.
- combatentropy 6y ago> What's "schuleth" then? . . . This is a form of "shall, should" but in this context it has its old meaning, now lost, of "owe" I would not say it is lost. What else does "you should" mean but "you owe"? You can exchange "You should..." for "You ought to..." (ought is a past tense of owe).
- hodgesrm 6y agoHmm, the cognate to schulden jumps right out for me but I didn't notice some of the others. Thanks for a great post!