Information About

Archaism





USAGE


Archaisms are most frequently encountered in Poetry , Law , and Ritual writing and speech. Their deliberate use can be subdivided into Literary archaisms, which seeks to evoke the style of older speech and writing; and Lexical archaisms, the use of words no longer in common use.

Archaisms are kept alive by these ritual and literary uses and by the study of older literature. Should they remain recognised, they can be revived, as the word ''anent'' was in this past century.


Syntax here


The compound adverbs and prepositions found in the writing of Lawyer s (''e.g. heretofore, hereunto, thereof'') are usually thought of as archaisms. Archaic Syntax is also typically found in these ritual and legal contexts. (''e.g. "With this ring I thee wed."'') Archaisms are also used in the Dialogue of Historical Novel s in order to evoke the flavour of the period. Some may count as Inherently Funny Word s and are used for Humorous effect.


SEE ALSO





ALTERNATIVE MEANINGS


In Anthropological studies of culture, archaism is defined as the absence of writing and Subsistence economy.
In history, archaism is used to connote a superior, albeit mythical, "golden age."