Enchanted: Taylor Swift Old English!
@taylorswift on Instagram
Eala!! This week I’m so, so excited to share something fun and a little bit different that I think almost perfectly captures the spirit of the Modern Old English project: a Taylor Swift song translated into Old English! I’ve been a swiftie since my childhood, and so combining that love with my passion for Medieval studies felt like a natural and wonderful way to bring this field of study into a more mainstream audience, while still maintaining the wonderful quirks and idiosyncrasies of Old English itself. I hope you enjoy this version of one of my very favorite songs, Enchanted!!!!!!!
‘Enchanted’
‘Begalen’
There I was again tonight
Þær Ic wæs eft þȳs ǣfene
Forcing laughter, faking smiles
Anidende hleahtor, licettende smearcas
Same old tired, lonely place
Ilca eald werig, anlic ærn
Walls of insincerity, shifting eyes and vacancy
Weallas un-soþes, hwearfan eagan ond lǣrness
Vanished when I saw your face
Adwinon þa Ic seah þin wlita
All I can say is, it was enchanting to meet you
Eall Ic mæg secgan is, hit wæs begalende þe mētan
Your eyes whispered, "Have we met?"
Þin eagan hwastrodon, “Hæfdon ūs cyððe?”
'Cross the room your silhouette
Ofer þam cleofan þin fore-scywa
Starts to make its way to me
Beginþ neah-læcan to me
The playful conversation starts
Seo plegol motung beginþ
Counter all your quick remarks
Wrixle eall þin fæst word
Like passing notes in secrecy
Swa aerend-secgende in digolnese
And it was enchanting to meet you
And hit wæs begallende þe mētan
All I can say is, I was enchanted to meet you
Eall Ic mæg secgan is, Ic wæs begalen þe mētan
This night is sparkling, don't you let it go
Þeos niht bið spircende, ne þu hit unlīs
I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home
Ic eom wundorslægen, ablisende eall se wæg ham
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew
Ic wille þurh-dreogan æfre asmeagende gif þu cnawade
I was enchanted to meet you
Ic wæs begalen þe mētan
The lingering question kept me up
Seo latiende frigenes ge-hyldde me up
2 AM, who do you love?
Twa in morgene, hwa lufast þu?
I wonder 'til I'm wide awake
Ic fricge wiþ Ic eom gin-wacol
And now I'm pacing back and forth
Ond nu Ic eom treddiende bæc ond forþ
Wishing you were at my door
Willende þu wære min dura
I'd open up and you would say, "Hey"
Ic unlucie ond þu secge, “Eala,”
It was enchanting to meet you
Hit wæs begallende þe mētan
All I can say is, I was enchanted to meet you
Eall Ic mæg secgan is, Ic wæs begalen þe mētan
This night is sparkling, don't you let it go
Þeos niht bið spircende, ne þu hit unlīs
I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home
Ic eom wundorslægen, ablisende eall se wæg ham
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew
Ic wille þurh-dreogan æfre asmeagende gif þu cnawade
That this night is flawless, don't you let it go
Þæt þeos niht biþ ælteaw, ne þu hit unlīs
I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone
Ic eom wundorslægen, friciende emb eall anne
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew
Ic wille þurh-dreogan æfre asmeagende gif þu cnawade
I was enchanted to meet you
Ic wæs begalen þe mētan
This is me praying that
Þeos biþ me gebēdiende þæt
This was the very first page
Þis wæs se ful ærst tramet
Not where the story line ends
Ne hwær þæt spell ændaþ
My thoughts will echo your name, until I see you again
Mine mod-geþancas willaþ onscillan þin naman, oþ Ic seo þe eft
These are the words I held back, as I was leaving too soon
Þas beoþ þa wordas Ic gehende bæc, swa Ic wæs liniende to sona
I was enchanted to meet you
Ic wæs begalen þe mētan
Please don't be in love with someone else
Cwemlice ne beo in lufu mid hwilc-hwæne elles
Please don't have somebody waiting on you
Cwemlice ne hafa hwilc-hwæne gebydende on þe
Please don't be in love with someone else
Cwemlice ne beo in lufu mid hwilc-hwæne elles
Please don't have somebody waiting on you
Cwemlice ne hafa hwilc-hwæne gebydende on þe
This night is sparkling, don't you let it go
Þeos niht bið spircende, ne þu hit unlīs
I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home
Ic eom wundorslægen, ablisende eall se wæg ham
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew
Ic wille þurh-dreogan æfre asmeagende gif þu cnawade
That this night is flawless, don't you let it go
Þæt þeos niht biþ ælteaw, ne þu hit unlīs
I'm wonderstruck, dancing around all alone
Ic eom wundorslægen, friciende emb eall anne
I'll spend forever wondering if you knew
Ic wille þurh-dreogan æfre asmeagende gif þu cnawade
I was enchanted to meet you
Ic wæs begalen þe mētan
Please don't be in love with someone else
Cwemlice ne beo in lufu mid hwilc-hwæne elles
Please don't have somebody waiting on you
Cwemlice ne hafa hwilc-hwæne gebydende on þe