How to Speak 19th Century

[David Morris]

http://celticfringe.net/history/vocab.htm

Those of us who work at living history museums have always worked to
purge modern words and expressions from our vocabularies. However, the
people we portray had a richer language than just modern English
without "okay" and "have a nice day". By finding some of their words
and phrases, we can add an extra dimension to our interpretation of
their time that simply can't be found in facts, costumes, or
artifacts.

To this end, I have chosen a book written in 1830 and combed it for
its vocabulary. The book has been titled by modern editors Private
Yankee Doodle. It is the memoirs of Joseph Plumb Martin, who fought in
the Revolution as an enlisted man. I used Martin's memoirs because he
has a natural writing style that breaks through the formalism so
pervasive in authors of this period. He has a way with words and a
knack for telling stories that leaves readers feeling like he is
talking rather than writing. Most important, this is the man himself,
not a professional writer's caricature of common speech. I feel this
is the closest I will ever come to actually hearing people of this
period talk.

What I have provided herein is a list of words and phrases Martin
used. Some are words that are in modern dictionaries but not in common
usage. There are words that have disappeared, words that have changed
meanings, and a few that haven't changed but could be mistakenly
thought too modern to use. In some instances Martin himself stopped to
explain a word he thought would be unfamiliar. After each word, I give
a definition, a quote from the book to show the context, and the page
number for those who want to look it up. Some may "cavil" with some of
my choices of words and think I left some things out or got
definitions wrong, but, as long as I am not the victim of any
"obloquy", such are welcome to go and look for themselves.