Eski İngilizce (Englisc) İngiltere'de eskiden konuşulan Hint-Avrupa dalından olan Germen dili. Özellikleri ve ses bilimi bugünkü İngilizce'den farklı yanlar taşımaktaydı. Cümle kurulumu da farklı idi. Örnekler ve bugünkü İngilizce karşılıkları:
Hwæt! We Gardena in geardagum- Lo! We of Spear-Danes in days of yore,
þeodcyninga, þrym gefrunon - of the fame of the kings, have heard
hu ða æþelingas ellen fremedon.- How those nobles did great deeds
Oft Scyld Scefing sceaþena þreatum- Often Scyld Scefing, from the army of his enemies,
monegum mægþum, meodosetla ofteah- from many warriors, took the mead-benches
egsode eorlas. Syððan ærest wearð- terrified the nobles. After he was first.
feasceaft funden, he þæs frofre gebad- discovered, a foundling, he gained a consolation
weox under wolcnum, weorðmyndum þah,- waxed under the heavens, prospered in glory,
oðþæt him æghwylc þara ymbsittendra- until eventually everyone in surrounding tribes,
ofer hronrade hyran scolde- over the whale-road, had to obey.
gomban gyldan. Þæt wæs god cyning- and yield to him. He was a good king!
God cwæð him þus tō- God quoth thus to him.
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