"Beowulf"

[BeverlyN]

Hello Experts,

Is the lower group sign (be) allowed in Beowulf? Some say yes and others say no.

Thank you.

 

[claurent]

According to 10.6.1 of the UEB code, the 'be' contraction can be used when the letters it represents form the first syllable of a word.  According to 10.6.2, 'be' can be used when it is at the beginning of a word and followed by a letter, contraction, modified letter or ligature.   The letters 'Be' form the first syllable of Beowulf, begin the word and are followed by a letter.  So yes,  you can use 'be' in 'Beowulf". If pronunciation is your concern, in 10.6.2, the 'be' contraction is used in the word Belinda which has the same beginning sound (at least to me) of Beowulf.

Cindi

[BeverlyN]

Thank you for clearing this up. I look forward to attending your classes at the fall conference.

[Laura]

Good morning,

With all due respect, I think that Beowulf cannot be contracted and here is why.  In the NLS Lesson Book, in Lesson 16 specifically (16.6 Early Forms of English), it states that contractions should not be used in texts written in "Old English" (about 1100 A.D. or earlier).  Beowulf is an Old English text that not only does not sound anything like Modern English, but it does not sound much like Middle English either; therefore, I think that is why it is not supposed to be contracted.  If it were in Middle English, it would be optional, and if it were in an even later form of English then it would be contracted, but it isn't.  Hopefully that made sense!

 

Thank you,

Laura

[Author]

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