The Evolution of Æ

[Akar]

Today during my scholarly research on posting I was reading about the letter "Æ".

It seems like originally the letter was the much clearer and more coherent ""

After a short period it becomes the slightly less coherent ""

And then, after a couple more centuries of rapid devolution and bastardization we arrive at "Æ". The disgusting stillborn abomination born as the product of centuries of linguistic incest. How did the mighty fall so far? And more importantly, what can we do to change it?

[mishkin]

I have gone to strange places while searching for information, dont know why I know everything about Little Richard, but this, akar? How did you get to this?

[Akar]

I had to change Mhaedros's discord name to "MhÆÆÆÆdros" and so I googled "ae letter" and the rest is history.

As an aside, you're telling me that you've never researched proto-semetic hieroglyphs before? What are you, a dullard?

[mishkin]

my internet is just for porn

[Akar]

Look at "" and tell me that isn't at least vaguely erotic

[Flinn]

my internet is just for porn

support

[Diamat]

Germans changed AE to Ä.

[Akar]

Literally the worst thing the Germans ever did.

[Cookiegod]

Germans changed AE to Ä.

I'm someone who uses both letters on a daily basis because of different languages: Æ is clearly superior. You immediately get what it means, even if you have never seen it before.

Also really annoying is that every time I change keyboard I always get confused. Ä is where the Danish Ø is. Ø is the Danish equivalent to the German/Swedish Ö, which is placed where the Danish Æ is.

Scandinavians also have the letter Å, because if there's one thing the standard alphabet doesn't have enough of, its A's and O's.

Å is also the god letter. Which clearly proves how superior Danish is to everything else because you ain't got it!

Today during my scholarly research on posting I was reading about the letter "Æ".

It seems like originally the letter was the much clearer and more coherent ""

After a short period it becomes the slightly less coherent ""

And then, after a couple more centuries of rapid devolution and bastardization we arrive at "Æ". The disgusting stillborn abomination born as the product of centuries of linguistic incest. How did the mighty fall so far? And more importantly, what can we do to change it?

Not enough intercourse with cow heads seems like the most likely reason for our society falling apart.

[mishkin]

Literally the worst thing the Germans ever did.

Maybe you're forgetting about one of the greatest criminals in history

[Akar]

I had, until now. So, thanks for that, I guess?

[Diamat]

I'm someone who uses both letters on a daily basis because of different languages: Æ is clearly superior. You immediately get what it means, even if you have never seen it before.

Not really. If you've learned Latin before, ae is confusing. In Latin, ae is pronounced like "ai." That's why Germans write emperor as "Kaiser" (stemming from the Latin Caesar).

[Cookiegod]

Not really. If you've learned Latin before, ae is confusing. In Latin, ae is pronounced like "ai." That's why Germans write emperor as "Kaiser" (stemming from the Latin Caesar).

Nah. Pronounciation of ae depends on dialect, era and circumstances. If I recall my Latin correctly, which I probably don't, since I only had it in school, the correct "clean" Latin pronounciation of Caesar was "Käsar". Greeks however had it "ai" instead. Middle age Charlemagne etc. were emulating the Byzantines just as much as anyone else. You can also see the development from how the etymological development of a number of many words in both English and Latin:
latin // english // italian
aether (from greek aither) // ether // etere
aeterna // eternal // eterna
aequi valens // equivalent // equivalente

etc.

So the contrast between Greek ai & Latin ae was quite pronounced and was inherited and continued by many of the Western successor languages, by simply becoming an e.
That's why Caesar today is also pronounced with an e, not an i.

[Akar]

For what it's worth I think you're both wrong. And more importantly than that, fools.

[Cookiegod]

I just tried to curse you out in proto-sinaitic script, then I noticed, much to my chagrin, that it not only lacks any vowels, but also very important consonants, such as f & c.

[Akar]

man ancient people sure were stupid

[Diamat]

Nah. Pronounciation of ae depends on dialect, era and circumstances. If I recall my Latin correctly, which I probably don't, since I only had it in school, the correct "clean" Latin pronounciation of Caesar was "Käsar". Greeks however had it "ai" instead.

You're mistaken. The original "clean" pronunciation is ai. The ae pronunciation is the Catholic Church's bastardization of Latin, which was influenced by the Italian. They even pronounced the "C" like in Italian instead of the original "K" sound.

Here is a great tutorial for Latin pronunciation:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LwtgvwJljto

[Cookiegod]

You're mistaken. The original "clean" pronunciation is ai. The ae pronunciation is the Catholic Church's bastardization of Latin, which was influenced by the Italian. They even pronounced the "C" like in Italian instead of the original "K" sound.

Well what do you think Italian developed from? Vulgar latin. Which in turn was based on?

But Caesar was probably addressed as Kaisar by most of his peers. Simply because Greek is the language of the cultured nobleman and Latin that of the uncultured pleb.

[Ferdiad]

Well what do you think Italian developed from? Vulgar latin. Which in turn was based on?

But Caesar was probably addressed as Kaisar by most of his peers. Simply because Greek is the language of the cultured nobleman and Latin that of the uncultured pleb.

Ceasear was known tom have all money yes that's true.

[Flinn]

Next generations will call their rulers Berluskaiser