Why is it Important to Learn “Dead” Languages?

The definition of a “dead” language is a language which has no native speakers. For example, languages like Latin, Classical (and archaic) Greek, Etruscan, Old English, Old Norse, etc. So why is it important to learn these languages? Because it creates a spiritual connection to the past.

I will use an example. There is a man who lives in Norway. His family has always been native to the land, and obviously he speaks modern Norwegian. Throughout time his ancestors spoke the language, but each generation made changes.

He is now on the quest for knowledge to learn old Norse. But why? Why is it worth it? He can’t speak to the common man on the street in Old Norse. No he can’t, but it will help him understand his modern language better – to know where words come, what words are native to his language, and maybe help him understand related languages better.

There is a bigger reason, though. To speak Old Norse is to speak the tongue of his ancestors. This brings a greater connection to them, because a language is more than just phonetic marks, grammar, syntax, and the like. It is a reflection of culture and a way of thinking. To be able to speak the language of our ancestors is to be inside their mind. Or instead, to go back in time. For us, speaking their language is congruent to sitting at a table with them, hearing their words, thinking the way they did. Just like the gods, language is not static. It changes with the people. Just as in religion, we should not forget the gods they honoured, or (in this case) the words they spoke.

A modern Englishman might learn Old English. He will notice a major difference between their modern tongue and the tongue of the Original Anglo-Saxons. For example, when we say our age in English today, we use a count of years, but back then, they used a count of winters. Why? This reflects a time before house heaters and electricity, obviously. It was when a family needed to work hard to survive the winter, and you were lucky if you did.

Also, when doing a blót to your ancestors in their language, it might seem more authentic, communicating to them in their own language. It is not so they can understand you better or anything like that (they live through you, so I think they understand you just fine). It is to deepen a connection between you and them. And when a group of people can speak the language, it is more than just a personal connection. This is a communal connection, and with this, the community can preserve their thoughts, history, culture, and worldview. That is the most important part, preserving your ancestral legacy, not just with your blood and soil, but also with your words.

So again, why is it important to learn “dead” languages? Basically, a language is only dead when you let it die, and your people die with it. It is a part of you, your history, and your folk.

Source Article from http://www.renegadetribune.com/important-learn-dead-languages/

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