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More Language: Mishandled Words
Your use of old fashioned words should
make you sound old fashioned, not ignorant. Notice these usages.
- Wherefore means Why.
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'Whyfor' is a made up word. Use wherefore when you mean "why", and where when you mean "where".
(Juliet did not say "Whyfor art thou Romeo?")
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Mayhap is 'singular.'
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Don't say 'mayhaps.'
(You're thinking of 'perhaps.') To avoid confusion, try 'belike'.
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Stay means "to wait".
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If you mean to say that someone is waiting for you, and you are late (or whatever),
Say: I am stayed for.
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Ta'en is short for taken.
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Use ta'en for to mean "mistaken for". As in:
I fear thou hast ta'en me for someone else.
My brother is oft ta'en for me and I for him.
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Department of Redundancy Dept., pet peeve division
A penny is a coin. One of them is always a penny, not a pence. Pence is only used for amounts of more than one penny. Only, only, only.
If you have a pocketful of 1-penny coins, you have several pennies, to the value of several pence.
Language
Still More Language
Some Random Vocabulary
Titles & Forms of Address
Forms of Address for Non-Nobles
More Language: Heard in the Wild
25 March 2008 mps
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