Getting it right
Posted by Caroline on April 17, 1998 at 07:23:51:
In response to Language anachronisms, written by Linden on April 16, 1998 at 21:10:12
It's not just the vocabulary- JA's sentence structure is definitely different, too. The "making of P&P" book quotes Alison Steadman and others saying how different the rhythm is. I asked a question lower down about a point of Latin Grammar- the Ablative Absolute, which JA uses in a totoally different way to modern English. Looked at out of context, her use of this structure sounds rather like schoolboy latin; it's almost awkward and unbalanced, yet somehow it fits. At the moment I'm trying to find out if that's just normal 18th century speech, or if it's a habit JA picked up from all those young latin and greek scholars in Steventon Rectory.I'm fairly sure it's the former, but I haven't looked at it to my own satisfaction yet.
I admire our fan-fic writers who attempt to copy her style.Some of them do a really good job of imitating her.Ann2 and Inko's work come to mind immediately, but there are others too.
- Regency verbs Phil H 20:15:37 4/17/98
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- I love that structure Caroline 21:42:51 4/17/98
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- I love that structure Caroline 21:42:51 4/17/98
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