ELIZABETHAN ENGLISH


BASIC RULES

Shorten "it" to just "'t". For example, "it was" becomes "'twas".

Fix your verbs: Add "-st" to singular second-person verbs and "-th"/"-eth" to singular third-person
verbs. For example, "How dost thee" and "How doth he".

Use "shall". It can be used to express obligation, and also in the first person. Remember that when
used with "thee" or "thou", "will" becomes "wilt" and "shall" "shalt"


PRONOUNS

a) personal

          SG.


1st person

          I

                   we

2nd person

          thee/thou

                   ye

3rd person

          he/she/it

                   they

Thee is objective which means it is used as the object of a sentence. For example, one might say "I
love thee," but they would not say "I love thou."

Thou is nominative which means it is used as the subject of a sentence. For example, one might say
"Thou art loved," but would not say "Thee art loved."

b) possesive

          SG.


1st person

          my/mine

                         our

2nd person

          thy/thine, your

                         your

3rd person

          their

                         their

How do I tell when I use thy/thine?

Use "thy" when the word following begins with a consonant. Thy cattle. Thy friend.
Use "thine" when the word following begins with a vowel. Thine occupation. Thine apple.


How do I tell when I use my/mine?

Use "my" when the word following begins with a consonant. My sheep.
Use "mine" when the word following begins with a vowel. Mine eyes.


BASIC DICTIONARY

Anon - Later
Aroint - Away
As you will - Okay, or whatever.
Belike - Perhaps, or possibly
Betimes - Very early in the morning
By your leave - Excuse me or please
Carouse - Party!
Chide - Scold or nag
Comely - pretty
Cutpurse - Thief
E’em - Evening
Enow - Enough
Excellent well - Cool!
Ere - Before
Fie - A curse, as in “Fie on thee, poxy harlot!”
Forswear - To lie or cheat
Grammercy - Thank you
Good morrow - Good morning
Hello! - an exclamation of shock and surprise
How fare thee? - How are you
Huzzah! - a cheer
Maid or Maiden - A young woman of upstanding virtue
Marry! - An exclamation of shock and surprise
Mayhap - Perhaps. This is often mispronounced “mayhaps”, which is incorrect.
Morrow - Days or tomorrow. As in “I shall see the on the morrow.”
N’er - Never, pronounced “nair”.
Nonpariel - A beauty
Oft - Often
In Faith - In truth, sometimes just “faith”. A mild exclamation.
Indeed - Really
In truth - Really
Perchance - Maybe or Possibly. “Perchance we shall see the Queen on the morrow!”
Poppet - A doll, and sometimes a young child
Prating - Babbling, talking too much.
Pray pardon me - Excuse me
Pray tell - Please tell me
Prithee - Please, literally “I pray thee”
Privy - Bathroom, or more literally, outhouse
Stay - Stop or wait.
S’wounds! - An exclamation, like wow. A shortened from “gods wounds”.
Tosspot - Drunkard
Verily - Very, Truly or Truthfully. “Verily, the maiden is comely as a spring morn.”
Wench - A young woman
Wherefore - Why and sometimes where
Wondrous well - very good
Yonder - Over there.

LARGE DICTIONARY: http://www.shakespearehigh.com/classroom/guide/page3.shtml