06-09-2011, 04:42 PM
Malheureusement, it being still before breakfast, I cannot find my remark. Well, it was a whole day ago......
I really say that, whatever people choose to do, words are like the colours on an artist's palette. One of the Impressionists used only shades of red and green. That was his choice, but, unless other colours were for some reason unavailable, that's what it was: a choice. The artist is restricted by the colours available -the discovery of cobalt was a big thing a few years ago -- and writers by the limits of their vocabulary.
It once was quite frowned upon to use slang of any sort; but I have managed to write poems around Cockney rhyming slang, and if I knew more, I could use the old circus language, Parlari. Naturally, I believe it limiting if, conversely, a person has the idea that they must use old-fashioned, or 'poetic' language.
As to dropping in and out of archaic language, (quite apart from the possibility that it may be one's natural speech), I think that is fine--- wasn't John Betjeman with his peculiar delivery rather like that? A normal line or two, slightly arch, and then talk about the Number Nine bus at Kensal Rise? Or that kind of thing. I do not think people should do what they like; or rather, they may, provided they don't mind producing garbage. I do think that use of archaic language proffers many more banana-skins, so care should be taken. Then again, care should be taken anyway.....
I really say that, whatever people choose to do, words are like the colours on an artist's palette. One of the Impressionists used only shades of red and green. That was his choice, but, unless other colours were for some reason unavailable, that's what it was: a choice. The artist is restricted by the colours available -the discovery of cobalt was a big thing a few years ago -- and writers by the limits of their vocabulary.
It once was quite frowned upon to use slang of any sort; but I have managed to write poems around Cockney rhyming slang, and if I knew more, I could use the old circus language, Parlari. Naturally, I believe it limiting if, conversely, a person has the idea that they must use old-fashioned, or 'poetic' language.
As to dropping in and out of archaic language, (quite apart from the possibility that it may be one's natural speech), I think that is fine--- wasn't John Betjeman with his peculiar delivery rather like that? A normal line or two, slightly arch, and then talk about the Number Nine bus at Kensal Rise? Or that kind of thing. I do not think people should do what they like; or rather, they may, provided they don't mind producing garbage. I do think that use of archaic language proffers many more banana-skins, so care should be taken. Then again, care should be taken anyway.....