History of the English Language

Carefully, go through the three English translations of the Parable of the Sower (the final one will be the easiest to understand). In 500 words describe some of the linguistic changes between the three passages. You may focus on any two aspects of language - phonology, morphology, word choice, syntax, - or on a mix of all. But be specific and accurate, using appropriate examples from the text. Passages Luke 8:5–15: Old English (West-Saxon Gospels, early eleventh-century); see below for a literal translation 5) Sum man his sǣd sēow, þa he þæt sēow sum fēoll wið þone weġ ond wearð fortreden, ond heofones fugulas hit frǣton. 6) And sum fēoll ofer þone stān ond hit forscranc forþam þe hit wǣtan næfde. 7) ond sum fēoll on þa þornas, ond þa þornas hit forþrysmodon. 8) And sum fēoll on gōde eorðan, ond worhte hundfealde wæstm. ... 11) Sōðlice þis is þæt bīspell, þæt sǣd is godes word; þa ðe sind wið þæne weġ, þæt sind þa þe ġehȳrað. 12) Syððan se dēofol cymþ, ond ætbryt þæt word of hira heortan þæt hī þurh þone ġelēafan hāle ne ġewurðað. 13) Ða ðe sind ōfer þone stān þa þæt word mid ġefēan onfōð, ond þa nabbað wyrtruman forþam þe hī hwīlum ġelȳfað, ond āwaciaþ on þære costnunge tīman. 14) Ðæt sǣd þe fēoll on þa ðornas þæt sind þa ðe ġehȳraþ, ond of carum ond of welum ond of lustum þiss lifes sind forþrysmede, ond nanne wæstm ne bringað. 15) Þæt fēoll on ða gōdan eorðan, þæt sind þa ðe on gōdre ond on selestre heortan ġehȳrende þæt word healdað ond wæstm on ġeþylde bringað. Middle English (Wycliffite, late fourteenth-century) 5) He that sowith, yede out to sowe his seed. And while he sowith, sum fel bisidis the weie, and was defoulid, and briddis of the eir eten it. 6) And othir fel on a stoon, and it sprunge vp, and driede, for it hadde not moysture. 7) And othir fel among thornes, and the thornes sprongen vp togider, and strangliden it. 8) And othir fel in to good erthe, and it sprungun made an hundrid foold fruyt. ... 11) And this is the parable. 12) The seed is Goddis word; and thei that ben bisidis the weie, ben these that heren; and aftirward the feend cometh, and takith awei the word fro her herte, lest thei bileuynge be maad saaf. 13) But thei that fel on a stoon, ben these that whanne thei han herd, resseyuen the word with ioye. And these han not rootis; for at a tyme thei bileuen, and in tyme of temptacioun thei goen awei. 14) But that that fel among thornes, ben these that herden, and of bisynessis, and ritchessis, and lustis of lijf thei gon forth, and ben stranglid, and bryngen forth no fruyt. 15) But that that fel in to good erthe, ben these that, in a good herte, and best heren the word, and holdun, and brengen forth fruyt in pacience. Early Modern English (King James, 1611) 5) A sower went out to sow his seed: and as he sowed, some fell by the way side; and it was trodden down, and the fowls of the air devoured it. 6) And some fell upon a rock; and as soon as it was sprung up, it withered away, because it lacked moisture. 7) And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprang up with it, and choked it. 8) And other fell on good ground, and sprang up, and bare fruit an hundredfold. ... 11) Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God. 12) Those by the way side are they that hear; then cometh the devil, and taketh away the word out of their hearts, lest they should believe and be saved. 13) They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. 14) And that which fell among thorns are they, which, when they have heard, go forth, and are choked with cares and riches and pleasures of this life, and bring no fruit to perfection. 15) But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience. Translation of Old English Note: This is a fairly literal translation that should be used as a guide to match up the specific words in each version. Do not use this translation for a description of language change. Much of the Old English can be figured out if you know the modern English equivalent provided here. 5) Some man sowed his seed; when he sowed that seed, some fell along the path and was stepped on, and heaven’s birds ate it. 6) And some fell over the stone and it withered because it did not have water. 7) And some fell into the thorns and the thorns suffocated it. 8) And some fell into good earth, and produced hundredfold fruit. ... 11) Truly, this is the parable: that seed is God’s word; those, which are along the path, that are those who hear. 12) Afterwards the Devil comes and takes away that word from their heart so that they do not become saved through the faith. 13) Those, which are over the stone, receive that word with joy and do not have roots because they believe for a while and weaken in the temptation of time. 14) That seed, which fell into the thorns, that are those who hear hear, and from cares and from riches and from desires of this life are suffocated, and produce no fruit. 15) That [seed, which] fell into the good earth, that are those who, in good and in the best heart, hearing that word, hold [it] and produce fruit in patience.