Come Again?
The language barrier is the least of worries for Anglo-Saxon couple Erik and Elfriede in their dealings with Norman invader Roger. Published in Resistance.
Onglish
engleis, englais, englece, engleise, engleisse, englés, englese, englis, englois, anglais, angleis, anglés, anglish, anglois, aenglais, aengleis>
The Anglo-Norman Dictionary entry for ‘Anglish’
(Reproduced by permission of the Modern Humanities Research Association)
Photos
Script Excerpt
(Late autumn, 1066. Rural Sussex. A crude wheelbarrow stands on stage. Erik hurries on from one side with a wooden fork. Elfriede bustles on from the other.)
Elfriede: All done?
Erik: Buried the lot. Spade an’ all.
Elfriede: Won’t you be needin it?
Erik: My father’s, that was. (Looks off) If monsieur “Le Bâtard” comes over from the Battle an’ wants me diggin moats, he can bloody well gift me a spade.
Elfriede: (Gets the point and hugs him) My wonderful Erik… always thinkin ahead.
Erik: Come on, maid, we ain got time fer this.
(They look around for anything else left lying around. Elfriede waves her hand in front of her nose.)
Elfriede: Faugh! (Looks off) That stink from the Battle’s still in the air. What’ll you say to ’em?
Erik: You mean, if “Le Bâtard” don’t cut me throat first?
Elfriede: Erik!
Erik: They won’t bother us. Who’d wanna live this near the dead?
Elfriede: You gotta think of summint.
Erik: I’ll make it up as I go (grins at her) … like always. You get everyone away safe?
Elfriede: All of ’em off to folks. – What about the beasts?
Erik: Penned ’em in tight be’ind the bottom hedge. Any luck, Monsieur “Le Bâtard” won’t go down there. Beyond that we’ll just have to take our chances. (Surveying the scene for the last time, he takes a deep, nervous breath) All right, well, you get inside now, make sure everythin’s buried away an’ leave the talkin to me. Keep this handy, just in case. (He hands her the fork)
Elfriede: (Takes it tentatively) You won’t do anything rash, will you, Erik, you won’t get angry with ’em.
Erik: Put the bar on the door. Talk through the window.
Elfriede, really frightened, wheels the barrow away. Erik hoes his veg patch. Roger de Domfort clunks on in armour which includes a codpiece, banging a halberd on his shield and roaring loudly. Erik continues hoeing. Roger clears his throat. Erik hoes.
Roger: Bonjour!
Erik: (Looks up, smiling) Awright?
Roger: (A learned phrase) I-AM-NOT-AN-OUTLOW.
Erik: Din’t think you were, mate. (Realises) Ah. They say we’d do you in if you crept up quiet?
Roger: (Not understanding a word) Je suis Roger de Domfort, fils d’Henri de Domfort, Duc de Basse-Normandie.
Erik: No idea what you’re sayin, mate, but good luck anyway.
Roger: I ’ave ze landes between Bagnoles and Pont d’Ouilly.
Erik: Oh ar…
Roger: This is to say I ’ave ze Orne.
(Pause. Erik glances at Roger’s codpiece.)
Erik: I did wonder.