Jeffrey Kacirk's fascinating book, "Forgotten English" is a memorial for lost words of the English language - the most dynamic of tongues
Language, it is rightly said, arises from our structure of reference. It is also more than contemplation - of how we position what we want to communicate. The conclusion is apparent. If our scaffold of interaction is to become more efficient, our language needs to mirror that - like a reflector. In the past, the vector of reference was that of a presumed, objective, and pre-existent reality. It also mirrored and imitated such a reality. Today, language is increasingly characterised by a major emphasis on rethinking - of its nature, role, and function.
Language, it is fittingly articulated, is our answer to needs that arise from our contact with objects. As Felipe Fernández-Armesto, a noted historian, puts it, in context, "Everyone is familiar with the idea that your language determines the way you think (although all our perceptions may not be imprisoned by language alone).'' There are limitations, all right. But, language has always had wider dimensions. It is close to a physical thing. It is something that cleaves the air with gestures, booms in the chest and belly, makes ganglions tremble and lips twitch. It's an instinct - as Fernández-Armesto underscores - that we all share with certain biological entities, aside from the innate power of the mind, like that of the limbs to run, or reach, and hands to craft and hold.
Words, according to Fernández-Armesto, are part of the mind, generated by neural activity, and by the electricity and chemistry of a physical brain. He elaborates, "Words which relate to other words call a whole world into being; a guarantee of the world of which it is part.'' This includes, notes Fernández-Armesto, silence. How? Silence implies sound. Silence is also a part of speech - of gaps without which no communication works. Not only that. Even the void of our mystical experience, avers Fernández-Armesto, is lapped by language. What's more, we all express language for ourselves, and for others. Hence, it is always evolving, also always a-changing.
A perceptive article on "Denwa Sensei" website explains the ornate tapestry of the English language, "Understanding the evolution of English is the main key to appreciating this fascinating language's richness and diversity." It also describes, that, "The English language has a rich history that spans over a millennium. From its humble beginnings as Old English, a Germanic language spoken by Anglo-Saxon tribes, to its current status as a global lingua franca, the evolution of English has been shaped by many factors." It adds, "Old English, also known as Anglo-Saxon, was spoken in England from the 5th century until the Norman Conquest in 1066. It was heavily influenced by the Germanic languages of the Anglo-Saxon invaders and the Celtic languages spoken by the Britons who had lived in England before their arrival. Old English is characterised by its complex grammar and rich vocabulary that reflects its speakers' daily lives."
You know it, don't you? That language, like all living things, is continually in a state of flux, where the old rings in the new, not vice versa. Yes - you got it right. And, this is precisely the premise, a vocation like no other, for Jeffrey Kacirk, a research aficionado, with a special love for antique dictionaries. Kacirk is immensely devoted to archaic words - or, unfamiliar sounds that slipped out of usage long ago - that only he could have thought of a book on English, the world forgot.
Kacirk's fascinating book, "Forgotten English" is a memorial for lost words of the English language - the most dynamic of tongues. According to Kacirk, "Change is true of all languages, which grow and decline as a result of societal needs and artistic creation.'' He adds, "The richness and the maturity of a language may be gauged by the volume and quality of words it can afford to lose. In this regard, English has had no equal in sheer volume of expressions it has shed over the years.'' He is right.
Kacirk's delightful work is a rip-roaring, educational guide to antiquated words, and their definitions - a resurrection of literary pearls, to be precise. It is also a delightfully rollicking, enchanting, and hilarious examination of a host of glimpses - history, culture, tradition, and belief. Of images ranging from the ridiculous to the sublime. To pick a few gems:
In the good old days, bad dreams were thought to be the work of a 'night hag,' a female demon.
Hair hopelessly tangled? It was called 'elf-locks,' a noun from Shakespeare's era. It meant the entanglement of hair so thorough as to not be undone.
Shaking hands to seal an engagement of marriage was called 'handfasting.'
A 'scuttlebutt' was nothing but a barrel of water.
'Bladderskate' was used for any in-distinct, or indiscreet, talker.
'Stangster' only meant a husband with marital problems, stemming either from mistreating his wife, or being henpecked by her.
'Glister' reflected a medical treatment where fluids of different qualities were injected into the bowels. The Bard, for one, created a humorous double-entente in his "Merchant of Venice:" "All that glisters is not gold.''
'Piggesnye' exemplified a term of endearment for one's sweetheart. The word was first coined by Geoffrey "Canterbury Tales" Chaucer, who is also credited with inspiring the tradition of sending love notes on Saint Valentine's Day.
'Catchpoule' was an old English term for the tax official. Literally, one who catches fowls.
'Flitterwochen' happens to be an old English expression, meaning fleeting weeks - aptly referred to as honeymoon.
Impressed? Catch up with Kacirk's 'loverly' (Audrey `Eliza Doolittle' Hepburn's twisted expression in "My Fair Lady") book, if you can, or try doing some research on your own, or with friends - to get engaged in an intellectual game. It will do you a world of good - one that is much, much better than watching a wacky TV show, its loud-mouthed presenters, or the run-of-the-mill, clichéd, or ultra-realistic characters, or any such masquerade.