How would English sound if you restricted yourself to words that came only
from its original Germanic roots? This short clip <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IIo-17SIkws> looks at some examples. It
also mentions Poul Anderson’s essay “Uncleftish Beholding”, which is a description of atomic theory written in such an “Anglish” vocabulary.
Quite a fun read. What’s he talking about here?

At first it was thought that the uncleft was a hard thing that
could be split no further; hence the name. Now we know it is made
up of lesser motes. There is a heavy *kernel* with a forward
bernstonish lading, and around it one or more light motes with
backward ladings. The least uncleft is that of ordinary
waterstuff. Its kernel is a lone forwardladen mote called a
*firstbit*. Outside it is a backwardladen mote called a
*bernstonebit*. The firstbit has a heaviness about 1840-fold that
of the bernstonebit. Early worldken folk thought bernstonebits
swing around the kernel like the earth around the sun, but now we
understand they are more like waves or clouds.

(Hint: I think “bernstone” means “amber”).

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On Sun, 11 Feb 2024, Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

How would English sound if you restricted yourself to words that came only >from its original Germanic roots?

Well of course the language evolves to encompass new technology &
science, so if you take away all those new words, then you'll have
trouble. Also few people appreciate how much English & French were
engineered in the 18th & 19th centuries by language leaders whose
top-down changes were delivered onwards by the schools.

Quite a fun read. What’s he talking about here?

At first it was thought that the uncleft was a hard thing that
could be split no further; hence the name.

uncleft = atom

Now we know it is made up of lesser motes.

motes = particles

There is a heavy *kernel*

NUCLEUS

with a forward bernstonish lading,

POSITIVE CHARGE

and around it one or more light motes with backward ladings.

PARTICLES WITH NEGATIVE CHARGE

(The irony is "positive" and "negative" should have been the other way
around -- the "negative" delivers and the "positive" receives. But
the early researchers had a 50-50 guess as to which way it went -- and
guessed wrong.

The least uncleft is that of ordinary waterstuff.

THE SMALLEST ATOM IS HYDROGEN

Its kernel is a lone forwardladen mote called a *firstbit*.

ITS NUCLEUS IS A LONE POSITIVE-CHARGED PROTON

Outside it is a backwardladen mote called a *bernstonebit*.

AROUND IS A NEGATIVE-CHARGED ELECTRON

The firstbit has a heaviness about 1840-fold that of the bernstonebit.

THE PROTON HAS 1840x THE MASS OF THE ELECTRON

Early worldken folk thought bernstonebits
swing around the kernel like the earth around the sun, but now we
understand they are more like waves or clouds.

EARLY THOUGHT WAS THAT THE ELECTRONS ORBITED THE NUCLEUS, BUT NOW WE
KNOW THEY ARE CLOSED-VIBRATION SYSTEMS.

Thanks for the diversion.

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On Sun, 11 Feb 2024 04:24:05 GMT, wn@qwert.com (Willy Nilly) wrote:

On Sun, 11 Feb 2024, Lawrence D'Oliveiro <ldo@nz.invalid> wrote:

How would English sound if you restricted yourself to words that came only >>from its original Germanic roots?

Well of course the language evolves to encompass new technology &
science, so if you take away all those new words, then you'll have
trouble. Also few people appreciate how much English & French were >engineered in the 18th & 19th centuries by language leaders whose
top-down changes were delivered onwards by the schools.

Quite a fun read. What’s he talking about here?

At first it was thought that the uncleft was a hard thing that
could be split no further; hence the name.

uncleft = atom

Now we know it is made up of lesser motes.

motes = particles

There is a heavy *kernel*

NUCLEUS

with a forward bernstonish lading,

POSITIVE CHARGE

and around it one or more light motes with backward ladings.

PARTICLES WITH NEGATIVE CHARGE

(The irony is "positive" and "negative" should have been the other way
around -- the "negative" delivers and the "positive" receives. But
the early researchers had a 50-50 guess as to which way it went -- and >guessed wrong.

The least uncleft is that of ordinary waterstuff.

THE SMALLEST ATOM IS HYDROGEN

Its kernel is a lone forwardladen mote called a *firstbit*.

ITS NUCLEUS IS A LONE POSITIVE-CHARGED PROTON

Outside it is a backwardladen mote called a *bernstonebit*.

AROUND IS A NEGATIVE-CHARGED ELECTRON

The firstbit has a heaviness about 1840-fold that of the bernstonebit.

THE PROTON HAS 1840x THE MASS OF THE ELECTRON

Early worldken folk thought bernstonebits
swing around the kernel like the earth around the sun, but now we
understand they are more like waves or clouds.

EARLY THOUGHT WAS THAT THE ELECTRONS ORBITED THE NUCLEUS, BUT NOW WE
KNOW THEY ARE CLOSED-VIBRATION SYSTEMS.

Thanks for the diversion.

And thanks for your translations! Cheers!

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