On this page:
“For last year's words belong to last year's language and next year's words await another voice”
Introduction to archaic terms and spelling
Word usage, meaning and spelling in English has changed over the centuries.
Now antiquated or unfamiliar words were once common, and can often be found in written documents created during the Early Modern period.
Modern spelling, as we would recognise it, did not develop until the 19th century. Prior to this, spelling could vary widely between regions and writers, and even within the same document.
The development of the printing press heavily influenced a process of standardisation, so that from the mid-17th century there was a move towards the standards we now use. However, when working with records created before the 19th century, you will still often encounter unfamiliar terms and spellings.
Archaic terms and word usage
When using archival material researchers often encounter unfamiliar terms, or unusual employment of familiar words.
As society, industry, practices and beliefs change, new words develop to cope with the changes. Old words can become obsolete and fall out of usage.
Recipe books, estate material, land records, court papers, and apprenticeship agreements are common classes of archives containing antiquated terminology. This reflects changes to weights and measures, alterations to statutes, and the development of new trades and practices.
Additionally, words can take on new meanings over time, as they are appropriated by different groups or for new purposes.
For example, ‘cell’ was used to refer to a monk's room within in monastery, whereas we would now use the word to refer to a holding room in a prison. Another example can be seen in the word ‘gay’; once used to mean happy, the term is now more commonly associated with discussions around same-sex relationships.
It's important to note that words used in the past might be uncomfortable to modern eyes, and to forewarn ourselves. For example, researchers focusing on mental health topics will regularly encounter this issue, with terms such as ‘idiot’ and ‘lunatic’ commonly employed to refer to individuals with disabilities or mental health problems. This sort of language use is a sign of the times and can provide insight into changing approaches to discourse on challenging subjects.
- Oxford Living Dictionary An online dictionary of archaic terms from Oxford University Press.
- Glossary of Archaic Terms and Phrases Glossary produced by the Parliamentary Archives
Non-standard spelling
When using archival material, it can be hard to recognise familiar words because they have been spelled in an unusual manner.
It can be helpful to think phonetically when reading unfamiliar words as it was common to spell by ear. When sounded out using phonetics, unfamiliar looking words can suddenly become familiar sounding.
Researchers of the Early Modern period are likely to encounter the following common examples of non-standard spelling:
- the addition of a terminal ‘e’ at the end of words where we might consider this to be superfluous, i.e. ‘bolde’, ‘kinge’, ‘ensuinge’
- the use of an ‘ie’ ending where we might now use ‘y’, i.e. ‘happie’, ‘commoditie’, ‘countrie’
- interchangeable use of ‘i’ and ‘y’ in the middle of words, i.e. ‘alwaies’ or ‘alwayes’, ‘said’ or ‘sayd’
- the use of ‘c’ in words ending ‘ion’ where we might use ‘t’, i.e. ‘commocion’, ‘elevacion’
An associated point to think about relates to the interchangeable use of certain characters to represent different letters
Be particularly aware of u/v and i/j. For example, where we write ‘every’, it is common to find the same word written as ‘euery’. This does not mean that the word has been spelled wrong, but rather that a ‘u’ has been used to signify a ‘v’.
Similarly, where we use the letter ‘u’ to write words beginning in ‘un’, it is common to find these words written using the letter ‘v’, i.e. ‘vnto’.
To give an example using i/j, the word ‘majesty’ might commonly be written as ‘maiesty’ or ‘majesty’.
For examples of common non-standard spellings taken from archive material, please see the uploaded PDF below:
- Examples of Common Non-Standard Spellings PDF containing images showing examples of common non-standard spellings found in archive documents
A Glossary of Household Farming & Trade Terms from 17th-century Probate Inventories by Call Number: [Hull History Centre Reference]ISBN: 0950594016Publication Date: 1977
A dictionary of old trades, titles and occupations by Call Number: [Hull History Centre Reference]ISBN: B00RVJM3E4Publication Date: 2002
The Local Historian's Glossary of Words and Terms by
A comprehensive collection of more than 3000 ancient words, terms and phrases compiled from various documents, papers, registers and inventories. This third edition includes new terms and topics providing an invaluable guide for local and family historians. Subjects include currency terms, Saints days and festivals, Latin words and phrases and Roman numerals.
Call Number: [Hull History Centre Reference]ISBN: 1853067075Publication Date: 1990-12-31
The Oxford Companion to Local and Family History by Call Number: CS 9 O9ISBN: 0198602154Publication Date: 1996
A Dictionary of Medieval Terms and Phrases by
An interest in the middle ages often brings the non-specialist reader up short against a word or term which is not understood or only imperfectly understood. This dictionary is intended to put an end to all that - though such a claim is inevitably rash. However, it has been designed in the hope that it will be of real help to non-academic readers, and in some cases maybe even to specialists. The dictionary contains some 3,400 terms as headwords, ranging from the legal and ecclesiastic to the more prosaic words of daily life. Latin was the language of the church, law and government, and many Latin terms illustrated here are frequently found in modern books of history of the period; similarly, the precise meaning of Old English and Middle English terms may elude today's reader: this dictionary endeavours to provide clarity. In addition to definition, etymologies of many words are given, in the belief that knowing the origin and evolution of a word gives a better understanding. There are also examples of medieval terms and phrases still in use today, a further aid to clarifying meaning. CHRISTOPHER COREDON has also compiled the Dictionary of Cybernyms. Dr ANN WILLIAMS, historical consultant on the project, was until her retirement Senior Lecturer in medieval history at the Polytechnic of North London.
Call Number: DA 129 C7ISBN: 1843840235Publication Date: 2005-03-06- A dictionary of archaic and provincial words by
A two volume dictionary of archaic terms.
Call Number: PE 520 H1Publication Date: n.d.
