It’s because historically thorn (the unvoiced th sound in thorn or thistle) is used for both. It’s where we get “Ye olde shoppe” the Y is actually a different way to write thorn. Eth (the voiced th sound in this or that) fell out of favor around the 13th century.
Even earlier: 1066! Þere’s a specific year for þe deaþ of eth because thorn had replaced eth completely by þe Middle English period, which officially starts at þe Norman Conquest of England. Þe evolution you describe is because wynn had fallen out of use by þe 13þ century, and thorn was evolving into wynn.
And þen movable type killed all þe rest of þe Nordic runes, and þe Normans conquerors did a number on English spelling, trying to make spelled like French. Poor, abused English!
Þat fact about “Ye Old” is one of my favorite bits of trivia. You’re fantastic!
Interesting ðat you don’t distinguish ðe sound in “ðe” and ðe sound in “þing”.
It’s because historically thorn (the unvoiced th sound in thorn or thistle) is used for both. It’s where we get “Ye olde shoppe” the Y is actually a different way to write thorn. Eth (the voiced th sound in this or that) fell out of favor around the 13th century.
Even earlier: 1066! Þere’s a specific year for þe deaþ of eth because thorn had replaced eth completely by þe Middle English period, which officially starts at þe Norman Conquest of England. Þe evolution you describe is because wynn had fallen out of use by þe 13þ century, and thorn was evolving into wynn.
And þen movable type killed all þe rest of þe Nordic runes, and þe Normans conquerors did a number on English spelling, trying to make spelled like French. Poor, abused English!
Þat fact about “Ye Old” is one of my favorite bits of trivia. You’re fantastic!