(c) 1996 by C.J. Cherryh
Consult the right hand for words to watch out for: words that are too modern, slang, or out of place in any attempt to render an old style. or antique flavor in dialogue or text Sometimes the meanings are vastly changed; Consult the left hand, for the older expression.
Sometimes it's useful to look up the other word, too: sometimes both are acceptable, but at least the left hand column will give you a sense of what to look for and what should trigger alarm bells in a writer attempting the older style. Remember that the circulation of the blood and the function of the brain were late scientific discoveries, and while explosions can happen in the ancient world, explosive agents were a little rarer...as a rough example of knowledge we tend to take for granted.. At a certain point in the list (which is not scholarly, but rather composed as my own checklist) you will find I reverse the procedure and list modern things and their equivalents in the pre-1900's world.
Examples of usage are in [ ]'s.
a merry : a fine [mess]
a plague on : damn . . .
abandon : lack of concern for appearance
abide : allow
about : around [about the house]
above : [heaven, residence of deities]
abroad : running around in the world
absent a reason : without a cause
absented : gone away [absented himself]
abundant : a lot of
accomplished : skilled
account : [give an account of oneself]
accursed : cursed
acknowledge : own up to as offspring
act : [act the fool]
acute : sharp, as pain
addled : [addled wit] confused, shaken up
ado : commotion
ado : fuss
afforded : gave [afforded a view, a smile]
affrighted : scared
affrighted : frightened
again : once more
aggrieved : offended [esp. aggreived party]
ague : fever
aha : ah
air : appearance of [have the air of] feeling of; 2) heaven
alarm, take : be startled
along : beside
aloud : out loud
altogether : entirely
amends : [make amends, amend] apologize
amid : in the middle of
amiss : wrong
amongst : in the midst of [people or objects]
an : if
anguish : pain
anon : soon
another : another [person]
answer : respond to
anxious : worried
appetite : desire
appointed : authorized
apt : inclined to
arms : weapons
arrived : got there [eliminate the word `got' except as `obtained'
ashore : onto the shore
aside : away from the others
askance : [look askance at] give a sidelong, misgiving glance
ass : donkey
astir : moving around
athwart : across
atop : on top of
attained : [attained to] reached; 2) get, got
aught : anything
autumn : fall
avenge : take vengeance or revenge upon or for
awaiting : waiting for
aware : conscious
awash : flooded
aye : yes, 2) [for aye] for ever
a-with verb : in the process of a-twinkle, a-stream, later elided
babes : babies
backward : shy, awkward
bandit : different than outlaw
bar : prevent, block; lock
barb : catch, hook
barked : skinned, as knee
barren : childless 2) lacking produce, a barren land
bartered : traded
bathe : take bath, give bath
bay : at bay; back to wall
bear bearing : having offspring; giving birth to 2) carry
beckon : gesture to come
become becoming : appropriate for
bedclothes : sheets
befallen : happened to
befell : happened to
beg : ask
bent : inclination [a wicked bent]
bereft : robbed of
besetting : attacking, prevalent [a besetting sin]
beside : besides
besmirched : muddy
best : had best= had better
bestir : get moving
betters : one's superiors in rank
bid : tell, order
bidding : orders
bid, bade, bidden : tell, order
binding : tying
blast : explosions are unknown: this word applies to divine apparitions
: only the wind can blow, unless A Blow, a strike: no explosives
bog : marshy area, esp. peat
bore : carried
born : be born, ie come into the world
borne : carried, or born as in bear a child
bosom : breast
bothy : small shack, hut
boughs : branches with leaves
bound : tied; bent on; sworn to do
bowstaves : body of bow with string undone
brace : pair of
bracken : fern
brain : not clearly understood as site of thought or feeling: seen in split skull
branch : line of descent
brave : gutsy
breast : 1) chest, male or female 2) female 3) plow through, vb.
breath : life, [the breath in him]
bridge : span
bridle : 1) a bridle 2) control [bridle your temper] 3) take umbrage at
brink : edge
brink : edge
briskly : energetically
brook : creek
brow : forehead
brute : raw, as in force
budge : make move
burn : a river
canny : smart
care : concern about
cared : was worried about: not used for `love'
careful, be : watch out, look out
cast : throw, pitch
cauldron : large round pot
cause : reason for
cell : a priest's room
certain : sure, inevitable
chance : luck [by chance, perchance] 2) happen [he chanced by]
charged : instructed
charity : compassion
charm : a luck piece
chary : cautious, careful
chase : the chase chided : scolded
chill : cold
choice : the best
choler : anger
choleric : habitually angry
churlish : unmannerly, ill bred
circuit : a course around
cistern : rain-catching basin or well, as opposed to spring-fed
clap : slap [on shoulder]
clasped : shook as hands
clever : smart
cling : hang on
close : to close with, to join battle; also 2) a narrow alley between building
clothe : dress
clue : idea
companion : buddy
compel : make
confound : confuse
confusion : panic, mental disarray
constancy : faithfulness
content in : happy with
contest, vb : argue with [ do not contest him]
contrary : nay-saying
convenience : agreement, also, later, a W.C.
convenient : agreed [a convenient day]
cord : rope or twine
counsel : advise; advise also used
countenance : expression on face; also 2) look on with acquiescence to
course : the hunt; give chase: pursue, chase
courted : was suitor to
cozening : tricking, tricky, lying
crofter : smallholder, Scot.
crossed : irritated
cry : shout
cuffed : boxed, hit lightly
curious : odd
curious : odd
darkling : dark and getting darker
darksome : dark
deadfall : a downed limb
deal : a deal; a lot
deal a blow : hit
dear : expensive
dearth : shortage, scarcity
deceive : lie [deceive me of=lie to myself about]
deed : action
deeds : actions
degree : rank
delve : dig
delver : digger
despite : in spite of
device : pattern or image on heraldic banner or shield
dire : serious
direly : in a serious manner
discomfit : set off balance mentally
disposed : inclined to [do]
dispossessed : put out of
dispute, to : quarrel with [he disputed his king]
disquieted : upset
disspirited : crushed
distracted : crazed, acting irrationally
doff : take off
dog, to : track
doings : actions
doom : judgement
doubtful : up for grabs [a doubtful contest]
dour : humorless; dull
douse : wet down
downcast : depressed
draw : pull
draw (bow) : aim but not fire
ducking : throwing in water
dumb : mute
duress : compulsion by force
durst : dared
earnest : a pledge, an earnest of
else : or
embers : glowing stage, often interchanged with coals
embrace : hug
enamored : in love with
enough! : cut it out!
ere : before; before is also acceptable
erstwhile : once
exceeding : very [no -ly]
except : [Except he come] if he doesn't; with Subjunctive
faint : pass out
fair : light
faithless : disloyal
false : faithless, or lying
familiar : belonging to close group of associates [one's familiar] fare : do, as in welfare
fast : firm, tight
fast : strongly [hold fast]
fellow : buddy, companion
fellow : companion [not polite as term of address]
fever : any sickness
fisher : fisherman
fishes : pl. of fish
fit : able, 2) a seizure
fling : throw
folk : a people, a certain group of people
font : fountain, source
forbear : stop
forbear : restrain oneself from
forswear : give up; forsworn: having broken an oath, a serious business
forthwith : quickly, now
fortnight : 14 days
foxes : common European pest
front : confront
fruitless : useless
furious : frenetic
gall : irritate
garments : clothes
gentle : wellborn, attribute of wellborn
gibed : teased, jeered
give over! : cut it out!
glamor : fairy illusion, making something seem better than it is
glanced : bounced
glean : pick up spare grain
gleaned : picked out
gnaw : erode
go to : buzz off
gorse : tumbleweed like brush
gory : bloody
grace : favor, good will
granddam : grandma
grateful : pleasing
greatly, often : a lot
grievously : seriously, severely
gull : trick [gullible]
hail : greet
hale : cause to come along, often by force
hallow : supernatural, either sacred or ghostly
happy : fortunate
hare : rabbit
haste : to hurry
haste : hurry
hasty : impetuous
haunts : ghosts
hazard : to risk
head : not considered seat of purposeful thought or resolution, but of reason
headlong : headfirst
heap : pile
heart : not understood to circulate blood, only to beat quickly when excited
heart : considered seat of emotions; head considered seat of reason
heaviness : depression
heavy : sad
hereabouts : near here
hindmost : last
hist : psst!
hoard : store
hold . . .tongue : shut up
hold! : stop! cut it out!
hour : highly imprecise: usually 1/10 of available daylight, with 6th at noon
household : includes servants
hoyden : tomboy, trollop
humor : disposition
hurtled : plummeted
husband : save back
hush : shut up
idly : to no purpose or meaning
ilk : sort, kind
ill : harm
inconstant : fickle
instant : quick to move [instant upon]; pressing upon, original meaning
intend : ain
iron : believed to harm fairies
itch : yen
jape : prank
jest : joke
joiner : carpenter
joint : roast
jug : bottles were too expensive for most purposes
just : fair
keen : sharp, eager
keep : castle center
ken : know, know also acceptable
knoll, knowe : small hill
laden : loaded
laggard : slowpoke
least : smallest
lesser : smaller
lest : so that . . . not, used with Subjunctive: [lest he come]
let : rent
let : hinder [without let or hindrance]
lightly : fecklessly
lips : mouth; : mouth generally taken to be inside
loath to : reluctant to
lodge : stay [temporarily]
lonely : isolate, as house
lost : done for
lump : oaf
mad : crazy: never means angry
maiden : first-timer, of either gender [maiden knight]
manner : behavior, Attitude
marches : borders
marked : noticed
marsh : a wide bog
master : form of address
mazed : amazed, dazed
measure : [his measure] how tough he is
meek : quiet
meet [on the field] : armed meeting
mend your . . . : behave!
merriment, mirth : laughter
mettle : guts
mid : the middle [the mid of the night, the watch, etc.]
might : energy
millrace : water headed for millwheel
mince : walk effeminately
mind : remember
mind your . . . : behave!
mirth : laughter
mischief : no good actions
mistake me : are wrong about me, my intentions
mock : make fun of
moderately : reasonably [answered him moderately]
mortal : human
mote : small speck
nape : back of neck
naught : nothing
neath : beneath
nether : bottom, under
nets, snare : trap
nice : precise
nimble : agile
nimble : agile
nock : fit arrow to bowstring
noisome : nasty
nook : small recess
nor . . . nor : [Nor one nor 't other.]: neither-nor; same with either-or=or-or
not, n't : to avoid n't, use never, neither, nor did he, etc.
not : in really old English comes after simple verbs: come not
also with pronoun intervening: come ye not: a command
oath, on my : on my word
oddments : scrap
over- : too, excessively, as prefix
over-long : too long
own to : confess, claim as one's own
pains : hurts [it pains me]
passable : ok
passage of arms : a bout, a brief clash
passing : momentary
peculiar : one's own
pine : grieve
porridge : oatmeal, grain cereal
portcullis : barred gate of castle
potent : powerful politically or religiously
pray : ask
pray : please
preferred : passed someone in front of someone else
prickled : itches and prickles announced omens
prithee : please
privates : genitals; balls
privily : privately
prone : flat on face
prove : turn out [he proved a fool]
pyre : funeral fire
quickly : fast
receive : agree to talk with in one's own establishment
reek : smell bad
reeling : staggering
regard : look [a burning regard]
remorse : regret
rime : frost
rude : roughly hacked from wood; rough; uncultured
rue : regret; also an herb
sack : loot
satisfy : formally finish a quarrel, or duel
savor : the taste
scapegrace : rascal
scarcely : only just
scatheless : unharmed; also unscathed
score : 20
seat : means more than chair: can mean important chair of lord
seek : look for, go to
seize : grab; arrest
seize : grab
sense : consciousness; five senses
shall : used only with I and we, unless as command
sheet : rope on sail
shone : shined
shrink from : flinch from
signs : portents
silly : stupid
simple : foolish [he is a simple man: : not flattering]
skein : bundle of yarn or rope
skirt : go around
skull : often used for `head'
slates : roof slates, shingles
smart : hurt [it smarts=it hurts]
snatched : grabbed
sooth : truth
sore : very, badly [sore afraid]
sorts, out of : sullen
souls : people, persons, individuals
space, a : a while [time as well as distance]
spate : brief, violent flow [a river in spate]
spite : nastiness
spoils : the loot
sported : played
sprite : spirit
spurned : kicked from underfoot
stamped : never stomped
stane : stone
stare : [in fright]
start : jump in startlement
stature : height
stay : hold [stay one's hand]
stayed for : waited for
stay! : wait!
steadfast : faithful
steady : faithful
steal : go quietly
stiff-necked : stubborn, hard-headed
straggle : come in few at a time, or disorganized
straitly : precisely, with narrow definition
stricken : having been struck
strides : long steps
stroke : blow
subtle : clever
suffer : allow
sufficed : was enough
sum : total
sure : definitely loyal
surety : guarantee
swiftly : fast
take oath : swear
taken, be : get caught
talents : abilities
teeth, in the . . .of : in the face of, as [fling in teeth of]
temper : disposition; also temper metal
tender : gentle
thatch : straw roof
thrice : three times
thrust : shove
tinker : small scale smith
to course : run
tread : step on
troubled : upset
true : faithful [a true man]
true : real
tug : pull
twain : two [in twain, the twain]
tweak : pinch lightly
upright : proper; on one's feet
use : treat [use one badly]
vain : useless, empty, shallow
vantage : high spot to look out from [seek a better vantage]
vault : arch-ceilinged room
very : complete [ a very fool]
vex : annoy
villain : peasant
virtue : powers [healing virtue]
visage : face, expression
vitals : gut
waft : float on air
wager : bet
wake : wake up
wane : grow smaller
ware, be : watch out, look out
wary : on guard
war, to : make war [against]
waste : desert, 2) to lay waste : to make desolate
watch : the night is divided into 4 watches of so many hours each
wax : grow larger
weary : tired
weathercock : [late] weathervane, coward
weep : cry
weird : a prophecy of one's fate
wend : go in a winding course
whence : from what place [whence he comes, not from whence]
whereafter : after which; and after this
which : can = and that, or And this---[Which he knew]
whiles : while
whilst : while
whim : spur of moment decision, lightly taken
whither : to what point [whither goest thou?]
wholly : entirely
whom : acts like him: if you'd say him if the clause were reversed, it's whom
who/whom : who acts like a noun and does not agree with its antecedent
wiles : cleverness
will : intend
will : used with pronouns except I & we, unless as command
will : intent, consent
willful : stubborn, hard-headed
willfully : obstinately
will, with a : gladly
wink at : ignore
winter : year of life, he has 12 winters.
wit : brain, sense of humor
within : inside
witling : fool
wits : brains, mind
wonder, a : a strange thing
worth : value
wrench : sprain
yard : understood as court- or stable-
yield : give up
youth : young man
-bred : mannered; of social class
-st, or -t : verb ending with you singular
-th : verb ending with he, she, it
-witted : half, lack, slack, scatter
Scottish dialect
ach :(disgust, contempt)
agley : amiss
ain : own
alane : alone
auld : old
awa' : left, was awa'; gone; away
ay : always
aye : . yes
aye : one; a
a' : all
back of : at the back of, just after.
bairn : child
bannock : cake of oatmeal
beast : animal
besom : harridan; a broom of sticks
bide : wait
blether : blather
bogle, straw bogle : scarecrow; bogie man
bonny : lovely
bothy : a rough hut of shepherds, etc.
brae : steep slope; river bank; hillside
braid : broad
braw : handsome, fine
bree : juice, barley bree
breeks : trousers
broch : ancient round stone fort
burn : stream, small river
byre : cowshed
cairn : heap of stones
canny : careful, gentle: ant. no canny
carl : peasant
carline : old woman
cauld : cold
causey : cobbled roadway
ca' : call, drive, (like ago)
close : covered passageway between two bulidings, alley
corbie : raven
couthie : pleasant
croft : smallholding
dae : do
daft : nuts
daith : death
deer forest : forest for hunting: hunting preserve
defender : scots law : defendant
deid : dead
deil : devil
dinnae : don't
dirk : belt dagger (sgian dubh, worn at calf)
dochter : daughter
doon : down
douce : quiet
dour : grim, dull
dram : drink
drouth : thirst
drove road : a drovers' track
drystane wall : rubble wall without mortar
dyke : stone wall
faither : father
fank : sheepfold
fash : annoy
fause : false
faut : fault
fa' : fall
fire-raising : arson
forby : as well, in addition
forenoon : morning
forest : a large wooded tract, hunting reserve
foust : mould
gae,
gang : go
gan,
gaun,
gey : very
gillie : servant, attendant
gin : if only
gi', gie : give
glen : narrow valley
gloaming : evening twilight
green : lawn
greet : weep, cry
guid : good
hae : have
hame : home
haugh : river meadow
heid : head
heidbanger : stupid, crazy person
heugh : steep cliff; deep gorge or ravine
hoodie (craw) : hooded crow, carrion crow
ilk a : each, every
ilk : that ilk, the same place
ilk : sort
joiner : carpenter
ken : know
kist : chest
know : knowl, little hill
Lammastide : August 1
laird : landlord
lang : long
leal : loyal
line : a credit account with a shop, or prescription
loch : lake or fjord, fresh or salt
Merry Dancers : northern lights
mair : more
maist : omst
man, mon, : man; also address in surprise or exasperation
march : boundary
maun : must
messages : go the messages, do the shopping
midden : rubbish heap
mill lade : channel of water to a mill
mill race : (I think) water leaving a millwheel
mind : remember
mither : mother
moss : a stretch of moorland or boggy ground
muckle : big
Nick : the devil
nae weel : ill
nane : none
na, nae : not
neep : turnip
neuk : a corner, a point of land
next : Tuesday next, eg., next Tuesday but one; Tuesday first is the real next.
nicht : night
no bad : very good
noo : now
nor : than
o : of
och : exclamation of sorrow, pain, annoyance
ocht : any
or : before
outwith : beyond, outside
pan bread, pan loaf : bread baked in a pan;
pan loaf, to talk : to sound like an Englishman.
past : to put past = put away for later use
pibroch : bagpipe music
piece : piece of bread with butter; a jeelie piece
pig : earthenware jug, or hotwater bottle
pinkie : little finger
pit : put
pled : past tense of plead
plowter : mess about in water, potter
poke : a bag
policies : ground around a large house
press : cupboard, esp. a wall cupboard
provost : an English mayor; Lord Provost of Glasgow
public room : a room in a house for entertaining
pudding : a sausage of entrails, blood, oatmeal
puir : poor
pursuer : scots law--- a plaintiff in civil case
quaich : sort of a patera with two handles
ragnail : hangnail
reek : smoke
reid : red
retiral : retirement
richt : right
rone : roof-gutter; rone-pipe, downspout
roon : round
Sassenach : Englishman
sae : so
saft : soft
sair : sore; a sair fecht: a hard fight
sark : shirt
sett : pattern of squares and stripes in a tartan
sgian dubh : black knife worn in stocking
sherrif : chief judge in an area
sheuch : ditch, drain, street gutter
shieling : a summer pasture; also a rough hut with it
shot : a brief use of
siller : silver, money
skellie-eyed : squinty
skite : slide, slither, to knock and cause to go off at an angle
sleekit : smooth, cunning, false
sma' : small; sma' hours = early
souch : rushing sound
sporran : purse in front of kilt
stane : stone
stank : gutter/grating
stave : sprain a joint
stook : a number of sheaves drying in a field
stookie : plaster
supper, fish supper : fish and chips
sweetie-wife : effeminate man
tae : to; too
tak : take
tattie : potato
tattie-
thraw : throw
till : to
trews : trousers, closefitting
tryst : agreed meeting
twa, twae : two
tyne : lose
venom : poison
wee : small
weel : well
weet the bairn's head : drink a toast in honor of newborn: Christian
weet : wet
wha' : who
wheesht : hush!
wi' : with
wrath : anger, see choler, which is habit
yon : that
Words and concepts to watch
Certain words and concepts don't exist in the ancient world
Modern Try instead:
a lot many, much
analyze scope, ken, scry
animal beast
babysit wet-nurse
babysitter, governess nurse
baby, to cajole
bastard is one
blow up dissolve
book codex
book-roll scroll
boring tedious
bright only means light: see smart
calculate, do math cipher
communicate say, tell, convey message, send
constant only in meaning of faithful: try very
counterclockwise widdershins
crazy mad
dumb means mute: try lack-witted, dull.
energetic vigorous
energy no such word or cognates
fast quickly, swiftly; quick, swift
steady -fast, constant
fink traitor
grab grasp, seize, take up, take, snatch
head as seat of emotion heart
head as seat of thought mind, wit, wits
head, top of pate
heartbeat beat of heart
heart: as circulatory blood ran cold, hot
highway does exist, but are the few main (king's) roads
inhabitants folk
involve it regardeth him: it involves him
is about concern
is busy at is about [his business]
lousy calamitous
nag scold
notary public scribe
people folk
person man, woman
planets stars, mostly, except brightest
pretty comely
psych front, confront
psychotic driven, possessed
rat bastard blackguard
real true
real bad grievous
reality verity
revolve around concern
shoot more often: loose, let fly
sky air, heaven
smart clever, canny, sly
logding for sheep: fold
cows: byre
pigs: sty
dogs: kennel
horses: stable
goats: pen (or wherever else they'll stay)
doves: cote
fish trap weir
willow wands withies
stamp seal
street try also: lanes, closes, mews, courts.
sun the Sun
think believe, have credence, as often as not
toxicity venom
track pursuing animals or people
traveling salesman peddlar
tricky cunning
worker in smith (iron)
silversmith
goldsmith
tinsmith
coppersmith
(cookware) repairman tinker
writer scrivener
fumes vapors
folk medicines simples
magic, practice of grammarie
bedroom chamber
women's quarters bower
man in charge of hunt: master huntsman, huntmaster
weapons: armsmaster, weapons master
students: tutor
cavalry: master of horse
infantry foot
cavalry horse
grimace pull a face, frown
dining room great hall
throne room great hall
small gate by big one sally port
chain mail more often, chain
mace not a chemical
discourage dishearten
depress make distraught
con artist cozener
trick gull, cheat
atmosphere air
horizon as a concept, not very clear
curve bent
inclination bent
head to head corps a corps (fencing)
bomb surprise
delete expunge, eradicate
origin root
dictator tyrant
body count tally
body bag shroud
get the idea comprehend, wot
two-faced duplicitous
hot and heavy amain
hearsay gossip
give hostage foster out
out of control career, careen
control dominance, domination, under one's hand, authority
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