• Ð Greıt Þu̇mpkin@lemm.ee
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    18 days ago

    My interpretation is ðat Sisyphus eventually succeeds only because eiðer ð boulder or ð mountain weaðered to ð point ðat he could rest it on top wiðout much difficulty

      • Ookami38@sh.itjust.works
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        17 days ago

        Right, it’s the old English Thorn, which we used for the “th” sound. It got phased out around the invention of the printing press, first being replaced with “y” (the -> ye) and then we just decided to change the spelling entirely. There’s a whole history to it, I can’t do it justice ATM.

        • Spacehooks@reddthat.com
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          16 days ago

          eiðer ð boulder

          So is this supposed to be pronouced “eiyeer ye boulder”

          Lol Feel like decoding.

          • trxxruraxvr@lemmy.world
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            16 days ago

            The first printing presses were from Germany, and thus didn’t have letters that don’t exist in German. Y was used only because the in the font common at that time it was the letter that looked most like the thorn, it was never pronounced as a y.

          • Ookami38@sh.itjust.works
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            16 days ago

            Close, it’s a TH not a YE sound. My sick-brained explanation probably confused you hahah. The “ye” you see on old signs is a byproduct of the shift. We phased out the thorn character, and replaced it with a y during that period. So “ye olde tavern” would be pronounced “the old tavern”.

            To use the example you gave, it’d be “either the boulder”.

      • Ookami38@sh.itjust.works
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        16 days ago

        Aren’t you kinda doing the same thing? What do you add to this conversation? I personally found guy’s commitment to his bit fascinating.