THE KING'S ENGLISH by John of the Kuldees
I've noticed that when using this Old and Middle English vocabulary with others helped add a futher dimension to each persona. At displays, I often found when with visitors, litering my speech with true period words and phrases that they instantly could understand, though foreign to their ears, brought my
persona to life for them. Now, in grateful service I hereby present period phrases and sentences for your entertainment and enlightenment. Many have said they keep a small notebook of these for use with particular people or certain situations.
Play with the words and sentences, even reword them. They quickly will become your own. ENJOY ! -John of the Kuldees. Lexicographer to the King
A LEXICON OF OLDE AND MYDDLE ENGLISH -by John of the Kuldees
- Abby-lubber - a lazy monk, a sluggard
- Agress- to expect.
- Alderbest -literally 'all the best'. Good wishes!
- Amoret -sweetheart, lover.
- Bandog- guard dog.
- Barm -Bosom
- Bas - a kiss
- Besotted- Totally intoxicated by a person.
- Be-swican - Seduce. 'Her eyes be-swican me!', 'His words be-swican my heart!'
- Bevee- A group of drinkers. Also became BEVerage. Eventually became BEVY- a group of quails, larks or ladies...not necessarily drinking.
- Boda - A messenger. ( Interesting word that's now in use as 'what the future might bode'.)
- Brandle -to shake... as in a dance.
- Bugge- Traditionally a thing of dread.. from the Welsh 'bwg', a specter. In the English it became bugge, (remember the e pronounced as 'eh'. Eventually BUG, BUGBEAR, then BUGYMAN.. and BOGYMAN right from out of the bogs !
- Bibbyment -garment, short for habliment.
- Bylled - mowed down
- Casse - a kiss
- Cagastrig -sent by/from an evil star
- Cempa - A fighter. Warrior.
- Charmed- Got your attention
- Chertee -fondness, affection
- Chevese -mistress
- Chertee - charity
- Chis -fastidious. dainty in eating, exquisite.
- Chrisom - an oily balm
- Clem -to squeeze or pinch with desire, pinch of hungar. (I have a clem to eat, now!)
- Closet- A private room or apartment. Eventually more secret as a hidden room. Then also used as
- Copener -a paramour
- Cortesian- We all know this was a female member of courtly circles, who courteously would courtesy. But during those ancient times WENCH was a term for a child and Tart was an endearment!
- Deerworth -precious, beloved
- Depient -to represent, portray.
- Dight -to tease, to create lust.
- Disour- storyteller
- Dulcarnon - a dilemma
- Enchant- Done by music. Some create a trance this way
- Erding -an abode.
- Evagation - the wandering of one's thoughts.
- Ferly - sudden, strange, wonderful, frightful
- Festus (LY)- elegantly.
- Frenesye - Maddness
- Frod - Wise, old, experienced.
- Furial- raging
- Gabbe - to talk idley
- Gadeling- vagabond.
- Gadling - a companion
- Garleac - Garlic , this was formed from gar (a spear) and leac (a leek). Lots of uses in cooking as well as remedies.
- Gast -a ghost.
- Genetrottys -genitals
- Gnaf- churl
- Godfright - pious, God fearing.
- Guile -Wit or cunning way about oneself.
- Harrowe- filthy, fowl, slannerous.
- Haen (Han) - great, high ranking. (Haen man, best man, Han-God.. high-God, hancock- high-rantking rooster... probably where we get 'roster' from... a form of pecking order in the form of a list!)
- Hend -comley
- Hertspoon- breast bone, covers the heart area.
- Hoker -scorn.
- Hool -sound (howl), also: whole.
- Huswif- A housewife... gradually developed into hussy a contemptuous word.
- Idel- empty, not busy (as in hands)
- ierre - Angry. A similar old word that's still in occasional use and easy to remember.
- Javelle- a worthless fellow, a rascal
- Keep- (take keep) take heed!
- Leman - an illicit lover
- Lengten- Olde English for Spring and LENT... when pronounced it even sounds like 'lengthen' which is true for Springtime.
- Louke -an acomplice.
- Malebouch- The voice of evil (pronounced 'mal' not 'male'.... and certainly can refer to a woman or a man.)
- Mandement -summons
- Misdeme - I shall not misdeme that one again! To misjudge or give trust or credibility in error.
- Monstance - amount, value.
- Moralitee- Literally, the 'moral of the tale'.
- Nice- Foolish, stupid, wanton, coy.
- No forr -no matter.
