Could you speak in your homeland if you went back to 1300AD?

[Martim Silva]

I recently finished reading an old novel by Michael Crichton, Timeline, which is basically about a group of historians which time travels back to war-torn XIVth century France, caught between the English and French sides.

One of the points of the book which called my attention was that, although most of the protagonists were American, they had to use translation earpieces, as only the expert linguist could understand anyone, even the English.

Indeed, the American protagonists could not even speak to the local English speakers.

For example, when they arrive in the year 1357 AD, a boy comes running to the woman in the group and shouts to her:

Aydethee amsel! Grassa due! Aydethee!

And only her auriculars allow her to understand that she has to duck for cover.

Likewise, later another American protagonist is asked:

Howbite thou speakst foolsimple ohcopan, eek invich array thouart. Essay thousooth Earisher?

And is only rescued by his earpieces. Also, he has to resort to copying what he hears to try to answer questions, because he could not really articulate a sentence in English.

In this case, when he hears "Wee sayen yeaso. Ouriwis, thousay trew", and he gets by the earpiece that "thousay trew" is "you speak the truth" and uses the sentence to confirm what people were asking him.

Their total inability to communicate made me wonder is this is something particular to the English language, or if this is more common to other places.

You see, in Portugal our language did not change much. Our History students don't get classes in "ancient portuguese". When they get to study medieval texts, they just have to learn the abbreviations and get used to the style of writing; after that, they can start reading without any problems.

(In fact, they start reading XIIIth century texts within the first hour of teaching withouth any problems).

I myself got self-study in the area and can read our medieval codexes with no trouble whatsoever (it's just a matter of memorizing more abbreviations and getting used to a somewhat different font type); the language that is used in the texts gives me no doubt that I could immediately communicate with my people should I get to travel back to Lisbon in the year 1300 AD.

What about you? Could you speak to people if you time-travelled back to your own city in the year 1300 AD? I would like to hear from many countries, if possible.

For Americans, as I reckon nobody knows what kind of language Native Americans used in that era, let us instead say you get transported to the city of London in 1300 AD.

For a better example, here is the Prologue of the Canterbury Tales in Middle English (the language used in London in that year):

    Whan that Aueryłł wt his shoures soote,
    The droghte of Marcħ, hath perced to the roote;
    And bathed euery veyne in swich lycour,
    Of which vertu engendred is the flour;

    Whan zephirus eek wt his sweete breeth,
    Inspired hath in euery holt and heeth;
    The tendre croppes, and the yonge sonne,
    Hath in the Ram, his half cours yronne;

    And smale foweles, maken melodye,
    That slepen al the nyght with open iye;
    So priketh hem nature, in hir corages,
    Thanne longen folk to goon on pilgrymages;

    And Palmeres for to seeken straunge strondes,
    To ferne halwes, kouthe in sondry londes;
    And specially, from euery shyres ende,
    Of Engelond to Caunterbury they wende;

    The holy blisful martir for to seke,
    That hem hath holpen whan þt they weere seeke.

EDIT: Changed "Tom Clancy" with the correct author, "Michael Crichton". Thanks to Caliga for pointing that out.

[Caliga]

I thought Timeline was by Michael Crichton? 

[Valmy]

For Americans, as I reckon nobody knows what kind of language Native Americans used in that era, let us instead say you get transported to the city of London in 1300 AD.

For a better example, here is the Prologue of the Canterbury Tales in Middle English (the language used in London in that year):

Yeah, unfortunately my knowledge of the Tonkawa language is pretty limited....in fact the Language has been extinct for decades.

I think if I was sent back to my ancestors homeland in Chestershire England I would only be marginely better off.  14th century English is hard enough to read, God knows what it sounded like.  I mean especially as London English and Chester English was probably dramatically different.  Regional dialects probably ruled supreme back in those days.

[Martim Silva]

I thought Timeline was by Michael Crichton? 

Doh! You are quite right, I mixed the two (I spoke yesterday about Tom Clancys' novels and the name stayed in my head).

I fixed the OP thanks 

[Caliga]

No problem, as I speak fluent Shawnee. 

[Razgovory]

I thought Timeline was by Michael Crichton? 

I thought that is what he said.

[Caliga]

I thought Timeline was by Michael Crichton? 

Doh! You are quite right, I mixed the two (I spoke yesterday about Tom Clancys' novels and the name stayed in my head).

I fixed the OP thanks 

PWNED!  Now make me some damn feijoada

[Razgovory]

I would be unable to converse with the stone age tribes that live in Missouri.

[Valmy]

No problem, as I speak fluent Shawnee. 

There are about 100 speakers left in the world...and Cal is one of them!

[The Brain]

Not fully, no. IIRC there was quite a leap languagewise in the 15th century. 16th century Swedish is no problem, 14th century Swedish is a bit harder.

[Viking]

I'm Icelandic and we still speak my homeland's language as of 874 (first settlement).

[The Brain]

I'm Icelandic and we still speak my homeland's language as of 874 (first settlement).

You also think like 874.

[Ed Anger]

Can I kill Danes?

[The Brain]

Can I kill Danes?

Damn! Too slow.

[Valmy]

Can I kill Danes?

Were your ancestors: Germans?