[porges]

FYI: `languæge` and `charæcters` don’t make much sense—‘æ’ and ‘œ’ usually changed to simple ‘e’ in modern English (Encyclopædia, mediæval), unless at the start of a word (æsthetics). There are variations, ‘œ’ seems to have been more likely to change to ‘e’ at the start of a word (œsophagus, œstrus).

Also, not every ‘ae’ was an ‘æ’—‘aerial’ is one example. I think the test is whether or not the Greek word used ‘αι’.

[kwhitefoot]

Are you trying to say that in modern English that œsophagus has become esophagus?

If so then you need to qualify it as American English; British English still uses oesophagus.

[porges]

Yeah, I originally qualified everything and then figured most readers of the site are USian anyway ;)