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ghostdancer (ghostdancer@mastodon.sdf.org)'s status on Saturday, 14-May-2022 23:37:38 UTC ghostdancer

Question for my English speaking followers. I've just discovered "The Hollow Crown" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2262456/ I have problems to follow it even with subtitles due to the "old" complex and rich language. Do normal English speakers can follow it without problems or is it difficult even for you?
In conversation Saturday, 14-May-2022 23:37:38 UTC from mastodon.sdf.org permalink
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1. The Hollow Crown (TV Series 2012–2016) - IMDb
  
  The Hollow Crown: With Anton Lesser, Simon Russell Beale, Tom Georgeson, John Mackay. A mini-series of adaptations of Shakespeare's history plays: Richard II, Henry IV: Parts 1 and 2, and Henry V.
- Mystery Babylon (erosdiscordia@hackers.town)'s status on Saturday, 14-May-2022 23:37:30 UTC Mystery Babylon
  in reply to
  @clacke @fitheach @ghostdancer @gemlog It's a good show. Sticks with you after it's finished.
  
  In conversation Saturday, 14-May-2022 23:37:30 UTC permalink
  
  Santa Claes 🇸🇪🇭🇰🎅 likes this.
- Santa Claes 🇸🇪🇭🇰🎅 (clacke@libranet.de)'s status on Saturday, 14-May-2022 23:37:31 UTC Santa Claes 🇸🇪🇭🇰🎅
  in reply to
  - Fitheach
  - Kermode
  Wait, "I, Claudius" was only 12 eps? I had assumed it was a long epic series. I've been putting it off for years on that assumption!
  
  12 is still too long to be a "mini series", Wikipedia. It's a solid season.
  
  In conversation Saturday, 14-May-2022 23:37:31 UTC permalink
- Fitheach (fitheach@mstdn.io)'s status on Saturday, 14-May-2022 23:37:32 UTC Fitheach
  in reply to
  - Santa Claes 🇸🇪🇭🇰🎅
  - Kermode
  @clacke
  I first knew him as Sejanus in "I, Claudius":
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I,_Claudius_(TV_series)
  @ghostdancer @gemlog
  
  In conversation Saturday, 14-May-2022 23:37:32 UTC permalink
- Fitheach (fitheach@mstdn.io)'s status on Saturday, 14-May-2022 23:37:33 UTC Fitheach
  in reply to
  - Kermode
  @gemlog
  Probably Patrick Stewart. No doubt he was trading on his fame as the Jean-Luc Picard character, however, he was a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company long before his StarTrek career. 😃
  @ghostdancer
  
  In conversation Saturday, 14-May-2022 23:37:33 UTC permalink
- Santa Claes 🇸🇪🇭🇰🎅 (clacke@libranet.de)'s status on Saturday, 14-May-2022 23:37:33 UTC Santa Claes 🇸🇪🇭🇰🎅
  in reply to
  - Fitheach
  - Kermode
  Trying to find that news clip "captain to be played by unknown british shakespeare actor, fans furious" that also described LaForge, not Data, as "the new Spock".
  
  In conversation Saturday, 14-May-2022 23:37:33 UTC permalink
- Kermode (gemlog@tilde.zone)'s status on Saturday, 14-May-2022 23:37:34 UTC Kermode
  in reply to
  - Fitheach
  @fitheach
  I watched the trailer for ghostdancer and only heard some original text from Richard II. It was read by a Star Trek captain. Very strange... :-)
  But yeah, it always takes me a half a play (maybe a whole one by now) to read Old Willy with only mild to moderate effort. And still, as you point out, words like 'let' meaning to bind or hinder v to permit/allow still will trip me up! And that one has a modern usage even.
  @ghostdancer
  
  In conversation Saturday, 14-May-2022 23:37:34 UTC permalink
- Fitheach (fitheach@mstdn.io)'s status on Saturday, 14-May-2022 23:37:35 UTC Fitheach
  in reply to
  
  @ghostdancer
  I've not seen the TV series, but, if they are using Shakespeare's original text, then most native English speakers will also find the dialogue difficult to follow.
  
  In conversation Saturday, 14-May-2022 23:37:35 UTC permalink
- ghostdancer (ghostdancer@mastodon.sdf.org)'s status on Sunday, 15-May-2022 04:15:36 UTC ghostdancer
  in reply to
  - WyliecoyoteUK
  @wyliecoyoteuk I know that when I read old Spanish I have problems of changes of meaning and uses too. It was curiosity to know if happens the same as I think, maybe I'm wrong, Shakespeare is more read/studied in at least UK than old Spanish writers in Spain. Cause in Spain Cervantes is really known but few people have read "El Quijote" and most of them in modernized "translations".
  
  In conversation Sunday, 15-May-2022 04:15:36 UTC permalink
  
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- WyliecoyoteUK (wyliecoyoteuk@mastodon.org.uk)'s status on Sunday, 15-May-2022 04:15:37 UTC WyliecoyoteUK
  in reply to
  
  @ghostdancer In 700 years, the meaning of words shifts and often changes totally, or the words fall out of use. So no, it is not easy even for a native speaker.
  For example "Gay" used to simply mean cheerful until around 1960. "Nice" used to mean evil. "Sophisticate" used to mean a simpleton or ignorant person.
  Slang is something else.
  When I have been in France, I have often stumbled over words that aren't in any French dictionary of phrasebook.
  
  In conversation Sunday, 15-May-2022 04:15:37 UTC permalink
- Fitheach (fitheach@mstdn.io)'s status on Sunday, 15-May-2022 04:31:05 UTC Fitheach
  in reply to
  - Santa Claes 🇸🇪🇭🇰🎅
  - Kermode
  @clacke
  "I, Claudius" is superb. The sets are rubbish; script and acting not to be missed.
  @ghostdancer @gemlog
  
  In conversation Sunday, 15-May-2022 04:31:05 UTC permalink
  
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