How did people speak in the 1800s?

Answer 1

The biggest difference in speech in the 1500s compared to now was mainly there were heavier, thicker accents among colonists to America.

People used more "thee" and "thou", which was common language within churches as well. I can't think of another precise example, except that "slang" as we know it today did not exist -- neither in the amount of slang used or in the derogatory meanings that slang has today.

Answer 2

Yes, in two main dialects, Anglic and Saxon. A later form of Saxon, called West Saxon, became modern Standard English, and the Anglic dialect became modern Scots ( also called Inglish, Lallands, Doric).

Answer 3

It depends on where they're from. For example, someone from 15th-century England would speak late Middle English. That person's late Middle English dialect would vary depending on their region in the country: there are, among others, Kentish, West Midlands, and Londoner dialects. You can get as specific as you wish to, regardless of the area of the world you're talking about. I suppose a very general, catch-all answer would be "according to the standards of their speech communities."

Answer 4

A better question would be "How did people talk in Shakespearean England".

Well for one they didn't talk exactly like they did in the Shakespeare plays, these were dramatization's, and were presented like this for effect.

However, they did speak "Olde English" which used different forms of the same words that we commonly use today - "thee" is a good example, which basically means you. They also used a lot of words which have subsequently fallen from common English language usage.

Shakespeare also make up words, many of which are still in common use today.

See related links for more on Old English

Answer 5

they spoke a early modern English and often they used poetry and prose . although there is a difference between them two .

Answer 6

same words as us and everything, but they more... i dunno, formally, i guess.

Answer 7

I need to go to town to get some flour and cloth.