Archaic language

 

Archaic language

Yorkshire Pudding and Anvil Cloud drew attention to the archaic language in the Christmas carol ‘Ding dong merrily on high.’

English is a rich language, borrowing much from other languages. Just like the inhabitants of the British Isles, it is a mongrel. It is one of the Indo-European languages, which are spoken in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Almost half the world’s populations speak one of its languages. 

English is basically a Germanic language, sharing much of its origin with German, Dutch and Swedish. It had its origins in mediaeval England in Great Britain. Within it can be found Celtic and Latin influences.

I think there is a melding of archaic language and dialect, which makes our colloquialisms and vocabulary colourful and interesting.

There is much emphasis in schools on ‘correct’ language and pronunciation and to some extent this is necessary if we are to understand one another, but there must be a place for individualism. We would be poorer if we could no longer hear the distinctive voices of the Black Country, Dorset, Norfolk, Ireland, Cumbria, and all points north, south, east, and west.

With so much influence from the media, we are in danger of slipping into a lazy accommodation, when we use the same expressions and pronunciation, simply because that is more convenient and saves us the effort of thinking of individual ways of speaking. So, we say ‘twenty-four seven’ when we mean constantly or exhaustively or ceaselessly. We say we are going to ‘regroup’ when what we intend to do is consider the path or the action we will take next, or simply stop and think. We are always ‘shattered’ rather than exhausted or fatigued. People are ‘stressed’ from the ‘traumas’ they experience, rather than unsettled by circumstances.

When was the last time you heard someone using ‘thee’ or ‘boughten bread’ or ‘home growen,’ or referring to a young girl as a ‘maid?’

 Have you heard, ‘Where’s he to?’ meaning ‘Where is he?’ or ‘Wait while’ rather than ‘Wait until?’

Once you start listening to people talking casually to each other, there are all sorts of colourful phrases that emerge that enrich language and vocabulary. I don’t think we’ll ever return to a time when we ‘thee’ and ‘thou’ each other, but ‘yea’ is still in use in official parliamentary language, including in the United States Congress.

I still use ‘wench’ for a young woman, though more humorously than seriously, and ‘trusty steed,’ again in a light-hearted manner.

However, I always say, ‘I’ll see you anon,’ when I take my leave of someone.

Do you use any expressions that others might find unusual?