Archaic texts linguistic features

Archaic lexis – could show archaic views on gender compared to modern day (e.g. taboo)

• Words no longer used
• E.g. – ‘bacchanalia’

Archaic syntax –

• Archaic word order or sentence structure
• E.g. ‘a beast that wants discourse of reason’

Archaic inflections –

• Archaic affixation at beginning or end of word
• E.g. ‘seemeth’ and ‘whilest’

Interchangeable letters –

• Usually vowels replaced by similar sounding consonants in archaic texts
• E.g. U and V in ‘Vnkle’
• E.g. I and Y in ‘Yce’
• E.g. Long F and S in ‘Diftrefs’

Latinate lexis –

• Words borrowed from Latin
• E.g. – ‘Opera’ and ‘Coliseum’

French Origin –

• Words borrowed from French
• E.g. – ‘Judge’ and ‘Court’

Non-standard spelling – Irregular capitalisation (usually common nouns)

• Vowel omission and irregular spelling compared to modern
• E.g. ‘fixt’ or ‘Cattell’ and ‘Ballads’

Inconsistent spelling –

• Words spelled differently in same text
• E.g. ‘Moneth’ and ‘Month’

Pronunciation before Great Vowel Shift –

• Usually extra ‘e’ on end or doubling of vowels- E.g. ‘Presse’ and ’breake’ or ‘shooes’
• Represents spelling before standardisation
• Reminiscent of speech before Great Vowel Shift
• Extra letters for printers to gain more money and justify lines