Archaic and obsolete words
Archaic – are old and no longer used words; obsolete – no longer used because something new was invented. Obsolete words have completely gone out of use.
Archaic and obsolete words stand close to the “learned” words, particularly to the modes of poetic diction. Learned words and archaisms are both associated with the printed page. Yet, many learned words may also be used in conversational situations. This cannot happen with archaisms, which are restricted to the printed page. These words are moribund, already partly or fully out of circulation. Their last refuge is in historical novels and in poetry which is rather conservative in its choice of words.
Thou [θаu] – (ты) and thy [ðai] – (твой), aye [ai] – (‘yes’) and nay [nei] – (‘no’) are certainly archaic and long since rejected by common usage, yet poets use them even today.
Numerous archaisms can be found in Shakespeare, but it should be taken in consideration that what appear to us today as archaisms in the works of Shakespeare, are in fact examples of everyday language of Shakespeare`s time.
Further examples of archaisms are: morn (for morning), eve (for evening), errant (for wandering, e.g. errant knights), etc.
Sometimes an archaic word may undergo a sudden revival. So, the formerly archaic kin (for relatives; one`s family) is now current in American usage.
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