The differences between old English and modern English

First of all, there are huge differences of old English and modern English.  The words are very different in terms of their pronunciation accept very few words. The way we write spelling of the words are also different.  Since it is very complex it is hard to even guessthe meaning of the words. Nouns have three genders that is male, female and neuter.

There are many reasons why the Old English passage is difficult idiomatic Modern English.  Old English starts from 5^th century and lasts until 11^th century.  During this period English language was influenced by West Germanic language, Scandinavian, Romanian, French and Danish language. The Normans, were later to conquer England and have much effect on English language. Vikings and the Norse too had influenced on English language. Old English derived from all the above languages making it more difficult to understand its literal meaning.

Secondly, word order is not in systematic way. Words are not arranged in to according to its meaning. Words are arranged here and there. Words of this Old English passage has different endings it might be subject   or object. This passage has lots of grammatical mistakes. Sentence does not have complete meaning. Moreover, it does not provide the reader with the basis of understanding, why the writer makes the point that is made. It is the beginning of Old English and is language of Anglo –Sexons. This language is influenced by Germanic vocabulary and it was the very first use of Old English and hence that English is very different from Modern English. Next, in the given Old English passage the words commonly differs somewhat from that of their Modern English. For example, the words of that passage like muntum is the same word as Modern English  mountain. Other than that, when we see the vocabulary of the given Old English passage it is almost Germanic as I have mentioned before. Ninety percent of the given words are no longer use in Modern English. Among them few words are now in use which have been survived and are basic elements of vocabulary. Additionally, they express fundamental concepts.  Apart from pronouns, conjunctions, prepositions, auxiliary verbs they express fundamental concepts like mann (man), wif (wife, woman) and wudu (wood). Although these words has little similarities in their sound when we pronounce it these Old English words are not very familiar to the Modern English reader.