Pueblog USa
Friday, December 30, 2005
I am Shent, and I’m Not Cozening You!
Sometimes the old words are the best words.
I finished reading “The Black Arrow” by Robert Louis Stevenson a couple of days ago. It was tough going at first because I haven’t read anything written more than 60 or 70 years ago in quite a while. (The Bible doesn’t count because I’ve been using the New International Version, lately.) At any rate, it drew my attention to some of the great words we don’t use any more.
Words like “cozen” which would be replaced today by “con” or “fool” as in “I’m not trying to con (cozen) you, man.”
Seveal characters, including the genteel heroine, say at various times, “I am shent!” Checking the handy-dandy online dictionary we learn that this is the
obs. 3d pe 1. obs. 3d pers. sing. pres. of Shend, for shendeth.
v. t. 1. To shend.
and that “to shend” means
v. t. 1. To injure, mar, spoil, or harm.
[imp. & p. p. Shent ; p. pr. & vb. n. Shending.]
I fear my body will be shent.
- Dryden.
2. To blame, reproach, or revile; to degrade, disgrace, or put to shame.
The famous name of knighthood foully shend.
- Spenser.
She passed the rest as Cynthia doth shend
The lesser stars.
- Spenser.
Most modern folks would say, “Oh, s—t!” or, if they’re especially loquacious, “I’m dead meat!” However, since the former is still considered offensive by many folks, I think “I’m shent!” could be taught to youngsters as a substitute. It includes most of the same letters, has the same sibilant and the same explosive “t” sound and won’t get them into trouble at school.
Sometimes the old words are better.