A Comparative Grammar of the Modern Aryan Languages of India v1.c7.3.3

v1.c7.3.3

Here again, however, the modern Indian languages are stronger than the Prakrits, in many cases exhibiting a greater power of consonantal articulation, though always weaker than the original Sanskrit. In modern Tadbhavas indeed, in which no trace of Prakrit influence is to be expected, the amount of softening or weakening is not very great, not more so than in modern English as compared with the English of a thousand years ago. Take for instance a passage from King Alfred's translation of Gregory's Pastoral:¹ "Ne sceal he noht unalyfedes dón, ac thæt thætte othre menn unalyfedes doth he sceal wepan swæ swæ his agne scylde, hiora untrymnesse he sceal throwian on his heortan, and thæs godes his nihstena he sceal fagenian swæ swæ his agnes." This would run in modern English thus: "Nor shall he nought unallowed (unlawful) do, and that that (that which) other men unallowed do, he shall weep so so (as) his own guilt (Germ. schuld, Dan. skyld, our guilt for sguilt), their untrimness (infirmity) he shall dree in his heart (sympathize with), and of the good of his next (neighbour) he shall fain (rejoice) so so (as) of his own." The words in parenthesis are the modern way of expressing the word which they follow, which is the etymological equivalent of the old English.