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rhaswell@grandecom.net Feb 28, 2011 8:14 am

What De Quincey wrote about the Anglo-Saxon was this: "So rude was it and barren at one stage of this rudimental form that in the Saxon Chronicle we find not more than a few hundred words, perhaps from six to eight hundred words, perpetually revolving, and most of which express some idea in close realtion to the state of war" (from his essay, "The English Language"). So his statement (well qualified) refers to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, not to the entire language. Admittedly, he did hold the now untenable position that the language was primitive ("rude," "barren," "rudimental").Rich Haswell

Reply to rhaswell@grandecom.net at 8:14 am