News:

Welcome to the Renaissancefestival.com Forums!  Please post an introduction after signing up!

For an updated map of Ren Fests check out The Ren List at http://www.therenlist.com!

The Chat server is now running again, just select chat on the menu!

Main Menu

Grammar & Vocabulary help

Started by mieljolie, July 03, 2008, 10:55:42 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

mieljolie

Okay, I don't really have any sort of character at all, but I'm going to attempt at least an accent at the faire for the first time, which I know I will chicken out on as soon as we get there.  But, I still want to learn more about the actual grammar, sentence structure and vocabulary used.

I've been practicing faking the general English accent for awhile.  I think I'm getting it down a little.  I've been watching so many British movies and TV shows, I think I picking up on the dialects as well.  Sheesh.  Anyway, I'm needing help with what to say more than how to say it.  I'm even going as far as reading books of the time trying to figure it out.  Getting from book to head to mouth has proven very difficult for me.

Anyone have any suggestions to help a poor wannabe out?
Royal Order of Landsharks - Guppy No. 85

gypsylakat

lol Yes please, I honestly think this is one of the defining points from paytron to playtron.
"A kiss can be a comma, a question mark or an exclamation point.
That's basic spelling that every woman ought to know."

mieljolie

#2
uh hum...I shall TRY to translate mine request.

*clears throat*

I have not a personage yet to act upon.  Me thinks I shall attempt to be English, if I fein not chicken aft me have ariven at faire for I have exceeding desire to comprehend grammar, structure, and vocabulary befitten a proper ocupiour of the realm.

Me thinks mine accent should verily please the king anon. Howe'er, words coming hither from books to mouth maketh me addlepated. 

I beseech ye, lords and ladies, who may chooseth to take up mine request, that you mayest share your wisdom with such a beggar as I.  An you willst do this deed I set before you, I will forever be indepted to you.

Ack...this took me way too long to write and I think it is still full of mistakes!  :)
Royal Order of Landsharks - Guppy No. 85

Baroness Doune

Some suggestions for learning Early Modern English aka EME (and persona development, too) can be found here.

Speaking the Speeche has 2 cds which accompany the book.

mieljolie

Thank you, Baroness Doune, for the suggestions.

Wanted to share what someone very kind (can't remember where) linked to in another thread:

http://jackytappet.tripod.com/barfdialect.html#dialects

Thank you, whoever you were, it was very useful to me.  There is basic instruction and links to vocabulary examples.  Also, there are samples of all kinds of accents and explanations on how they vary.
Royal Order of Landsharks - Guppy No. 85

Richard de Graeme

What is your background, meaning your ancestry? It may be easier to build your character around your family history, making it more a part of you. Then worry about the accent. The ancients of your clan will bless you! As will I?
"For it is the doom of man that they forget."
NE OUBLIE!
Purveyor of dubious wisdom
Player of spoons
Herbalist

mieljolie

We really have no background/ancestry to speak of.  Maybe that is why I'm so fascinated with all the history.  My aunt tried the geneology thing way back, but didn't get past the immigration to America in the late 1800's.  We believe we are at least part swiss, but no proof.  My mom side is mostly German, but I don't know much more than that.  I would eventually like to try a German accent, but I think English is easier at this point.  :)

Thanks for suggestion.  I may try my grandmothers ancestry.
Royal Order of Landsharks - Guppy No. 85

battlemonk

Some very basic pointers from my experiences—though meager and feeble they may be—as a performer, veteran of 7 years of festival starting when I was fifteen:

Sentences that are filled with punctuation much as a christmas goose is filled with stuffing—unless, of course, you are one of those types who partakes of 'dressing' rather than 'stuffing' in which case my metaphor may be lost upon you—can run on forever, and were a trademark of the renaissance writer. As for the spoken word, we obviously have much less to go on, but I find that when you want to sound old-fashioned, making lots of asides—parenthetical comments, as it were—with references to things that your character would find commonplace and easy to speak about tend to do the trick.

Also using doubled-up adjectives as though they were one is good: "It is my great good joy to see thee."

On that note, 'thee's and 'thou's and 'you's. Thou is the subject: "Thou art a braggart"; While thee is the object: "It is good to see thee".

The accent, I find, is less important than the dialect: that is to say, you sound more like a modern-speaker when you just assume the English accent, even if you adjust it to a cockney, or what have you, based on class; if you pepper in some good words from Shakespeare, or any other sources that you find, you'll sound much more like someone from long ago—even if your accent is weak or nonexistent.

I get so many strange looks thrown my way when I say words like "gramercy" in the mundane world. I don't get as many when I talk like I'm English.
Yours, etc.,

Captain Saffron/&c.

mieljolie

Thank you, battlemonk, for the useful tips. 

I have been trying to practice at home using "thou" in the right context and conjugating verbs correctly.  Very hard to do while trying to carry on a reasonable conversation.  My daughter has picked up the accent very quickly and will be speaking properly way before I ever master this.  We were just at Target today speaking with the English accent.  People kept staring at us and slowing down in the aisles to listen.  It was very entertaining.  :)
Royal Order of Landsharks - Guppy No. 85

Richard de Graeme

We have witnessed the birth and await the naming. Thou art a lass of great and wondrous seriousness for all to behold. Pray tell, give thee name!
"For it is the doom of man that they forget."
NE OUBLIE!
Purveyor of dubious wisdom
Player of spoons
Herbalist