If we look at versions of the same text at successive historical periods,
we can quickly observe some of the changes in the language. The Bible is a most useful source, because
translations have been continually made from Old English, a thousand years ago, to the present day.
Activity:
Describe some of the differences in the following texts, which are the beginning of the parable of the
Prodigal Son from St Luke's Gospel, Chap. 15. Look at vocabulary, spelling, word structure and word
order, and try to identify Old English words that are still part of the present-day English, though
sometimes considerably changed in their spelling.
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