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English Workshop

Universe/Cosmos

Essorant
Member Elite

since 2002-08-10

Posts 4769
Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada

0 posted 2002-10-12 02:42 AM

I was just wondering if anyone knows how "universe" or "cosmos" was refferred to in Old English? I believe "universe" is a late borrowing from latin and "cosmos" one from Greek...what word did they use way back in those times then??

[This message has been edited by Essorant (10-13-2002 01:10 AM).]

Poet deVine

Administrator

Member Seraphic

since 1999-05-26

Posts 22612
Hurricane Alley

1 posted 2002-10-12 02:29 PM

My oldest dictionary (copyright 1813) states:

Universe: The general system of things.

Cosmos: not listed

Cosmography: The science of the general system of affections of the world.

Planets: erratick (sp) or wandering stars, we now number the earth among the planets because we know it moves roudn the sun, and the moon is accounted among the secondary planets, since she(yes they say that) moves around the earth.

Essorant
Member Elite

since 2002-08-10

Posts 4769
Regina, Saskatchewan; Canada

2 posted 2002-10-14 02:16 AM

I like the kenning "wandering stars"
There is a kenning as well for the sun in Old English that is the daeg candel ("day candle") and in Shakespearean English for the moon "moist star" --I wonder if it wasn't Shakespeare himself that made that word up?? I should have said Anglo-Saxon instead of Old english--this is the english before the 12th Century basically. There are many unique words and meanings that have changed through time: clud "rock" where our word "cloud" comes from strangely, scrud "attire" where shroud comes from, wolcan (clump or ball; cloud) where the word welkin comes from. In old english dream meant "joy" or what makes joy-- most often "music", thus dreamcræft was music-making, dremere was musician. Leoþ (a poem), Leoþwyrhta--"poemwright:a poet", leoþ-cræft "poetry" This is just a small sample.
If you want to study more there are some excellent Old English lessons and links at: http://www.ucalgary.ca/UofC/eduweb/engl401/index.htm
They must have had some way of refferring to what we refer to as universe.

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