Here's a breakdown of some key points:
1. No single "olden days" language:
* Ancient history: The world had many languages, and they changed over time. Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, India, China, and many others each had their own unique languages.
* Medieval times: European languages continued to evolve, with Latin being the dominant language of scholarship and religion. Local dialects also thrived.
* Early modern times: National languages began to solidify. For example, English started to become standardized around the 15th-16th centuries.
2. Pronunciation and accents:
* Pronunciation: We can only estimate how people spoke based on written records and the evolution of languages. Sounds change over time, so what we might think sounds "old-fashioned" is likely quite different from how they actually spoke.
* Accents: People in different regions would have spoken with different accents, just like today.
3. Vocabulary and grammar:
* Vocabulary: Some words have changed meaning over time, and new words were constantly being invented.
* Grammar: Languages evolve in grammar, too. Sentence structures and verb conjugations might have been different.
4. Writing:
* Writing systems: Different cultures used different writing systems (alphabets, hieroglyphics, etc.).
* Formal vs. informal: Writing could be formal (like legal documents) or informal (personal letters).
To give you a better idea, here are some examples:
* Ancient Greek: The language of Homer's epics was very different from modern Greek.
* Old English (Anglo-Saxon): The language of Beowulf is almost unrecognizable to modern English speakers.
* Middle English (Chaucer's time): You can still read Chaucer, but it takes some effort to understand.
So, how to learn more?
* Study specific periods: Research the language and writing of a particular era or culture you're interested in.
* Listen to recordings: There are recordings of people speaking older forms of English, which can give you a sense of the sounds.
* Read literature: Reading old texts, even with the help of footnotes and translations, will give you a feel for the language.
It's a fascinating journey to explore how language has changed over time!