Right, it’s the old English Thorn, which we used for the “th” sound. It got phased out around the invention of the printing press, first being replaced with “y” (the -> ye) and then we just decided to change the spelling entirely. There’s a whole history to it, I can’t do it justice ATM.
The first printing presses were from Germany, and thus didn’t have letters that don’t exist in German. Y was used only because the in the font common at that time it was the letter that looked most like the thorn, it was never pronounced as a y.
Close, it’s a TH not a YE sound. My sick-brained explanation probably confused you hahah. The “ye” you see on old signs is a byproduct of the shift. We phased out the thorn character, and replaced it with a y during that period. So “ye olde tavern” would be pronounced “the old tavern”.
To use the example you gave, it’d be “either the boulder”.
So it makes a “th” and “the” sound?
Right, it’s the old English Thorn, which we used for the “th” sound. It got phased out around the invention of the printing press, first being replaced with “y” (the -> ye) and then we just decided to change the spelling entirely. There’s a whole history to it, I can’t do it justice ATM.
So is this supposed to be pronouced “eiyeer ye boulder”
Lol Feel like decoding.
The first printing presses were from Germany, and thus didn’t have letters that don’t exist in German. Y was used only because the in the font common at that time it was the letter that looked most like the thorn, it was never pronounced as a y.
Oh that’s a interesting fact!
Close, it’s a TH not a YE sound. My sick-brained explanation probably confused you hahah. The “ye” you see on old signs is a byproduct of the shift. We phased out the thorn character, and replaced it with a y during that period. So “ye olde tavern” would be pronounced “the old tavern”.
To use the example you gave, it’d be “either the boulder”.
Lol those ren faire folks lied to me!