Saturday, August 18, 2018

Vocabulary....

One of the joys of reading old newspapers is the vocabulary.  They had a lovely way with words.  So, to improve my vocabulary I am creating a list of wonderful words of the Plaindealer, to be added to and used. 

Ribaldrous--from the Oxford Dictionary

adjective , archaic, Of a ribald character; bawdy, ribald

Origin
Mid 16th century; earliest use found in Thomas Cooper (c1517–1594), theologian and bishop of Winchester. Probably an alteration of ribaldous by association with ribaldry.

Which leads us to....

Ribald--

adjective
Referring to sexual matters in an amusingly coarse or irreverent way.
‘a ribald comment’
‘he was delighted at the ribald laughter that greeted his witticism’
Origin
Mid 16th century; earliest use found in Thomas Cooper (c1517–1594), theologian and bishop of Winchester. Probably an alteration of ribaldous by association with ribaldry.

And the context in which Childers (the editor of the Plaindealer) used it :

As you notice, I have clipped the whole paragaph surrounding the word. Often times to get contextual references you need more than one sentence.  Well written, Mr. Childers.  This is part of an editorial discussing the southern papers reactions to the Plaindealer's converge of the Sam Hose lynching.  
 

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