Archaic and Elevated Diction in Older Texts

Read older words and forms that appear in classic literature, historical documents, and poetry.

Older texts and formal poetry often use words that have fallen out of everyday use. Knowing a small set prevents misreadings. Thou, thee, thy, and thine are old singular forms of you, you (object), your, and yours; they were once used for intimacy or to address someone of lower rank, not to sound grand. 'Wherefore' means why, not where: a character asking 'wherefore' is asking for a reason. 'Hither' means to here, 'thither' to there, and 'whence' from where. 'Ere' means before, and 'anon' means soon.

Verb endings change too: 'thou art' (you are), 'he hath' (he has), 'she doth' (she does). Worked example: 'Ere the sun sets, hie thee hither, for I would speak with thee anon. ' Translated: 'Before the sun sets, hurry here, because I want to speak with you soon. ' Writers today may use archaic diction deliberately to create a solemn, ancient, or ceremonial tone, so noticing it also helps you analyze style.

• 1Thou/thee/thy/thine are old singular 'you' forms.
• 2Wherefore means why; ere means before; anon means soon.
• 3Modern writers use archaic diction for solemn or ancient tone.