What form of the English language (such as Old English, Middle English, etc.) is the oldest that could possibly be understood by an average modern speaker?

by [deleted]

Expanding upon that, what are some possible ideas regarding how modern speakers could be perceived by speakers of older forms of English? Would it be basically incomprehensible?

anonymous_labrador
Searocksandtrees

Hi! This is one of the most popular questions in this sub, so if you're interested in more info/examples, there are a few more posts in this section of the FAQ (see link on the sidebar)

How far back could I go and still communicate