The spelling of "wast astonished" follows the archaic form of Middle English. "Wast" is the second person singular form of "be" in the past tense. "Astounded" is the modern form of "astonished". Therefore, "wast astonished" means "you were astonished". In IPA phonetic transcription, it would be transcribed as /wəst əˈstɒndɪʃt/. While it may appear confusing and difficult to understand, it serves as an interesting linguistic artifact that highlights the evolution of English language over time.
The phrase "wast astonished" consists of two words: "wast" and "astonished".
1. "Wast": This is the archaic second-person singular past tense of the verb "be" in Middle English. It derives from the Old English word "waes", which means "was". Over time, "waes" evolved to "wast" and eventually became obsolete in Modern English.
2. "Astonished": This word comes from the Middle English term "astonyen", which means "to stun" or "to amaze". It originated from the Old French term "estoner" and ultimately derives from Latin "ex-" (out) + "tonare" (to thunder), suggesting something that leaves one thunderstruck or stunned.
Therefore, "wast astonished" can be understood as an archaic phrase meaning "you were astonished" in Modern English.