Categories: uncategorized
Date: 08 February 2009 08:01:18
I have been reading Usage and Abusage by Eric Partridge (New Edition, published 2008. The first edition was in 1942) and there is an interesting list of "Archaisms" in the A chapter. I use quite a number of the words listed on a semi-regular basis... and am quite familiar with many of the others...
Verily I deem the list to be monstrous, albeit a true testimony of some words of yore. I take umbrage at the notion that the citizenry swoon when faced with words such as "nether, night, sans or sire".
Did the author dwell in an eremite fashion, tending his marigolds and chiding his errant brethren about their parlous quaffing? To abide in such a fashion was indeed his wont, but was it profitable for his writing?
Perhaps I merely had a wondrous tryst with a trusty dictionary whereas for Eric, this post would be fraught with incomprehension. Unhand me I say! Forsooth this imprudence must conclude.