"Oh me, you juggler, you canker-blossomI've recently become very fond of reviewing the four letters we've posted. I seem to be in a pensive, almost reflective mood - that or I'm secretively procrastinating from doing any actual revision work. (gasp, no, am I doing that?)
You thief of love! What, have you come by night
And stol'n my love's heart from him?"
--Hermia, A Midsummer Night's Dream
In any case, I've taken down a list here of the clever words we've used - okay, mostly it's ones that Mirth has used to swear or curse or express her deepest emotions. Anger. Anguish. Fear. Resentment. I've discovered that Ange isn't really the sort of girl who curses or swears. She more the type who will wring her hands together and whine "oh, woe is me". I hope she doesn't come off as too pathetic.
Ange's swearing mainly consist of the following: "Oh bother" "Oh cousin" "oh dear" and in general a lot of "oh" "oh" "oh".
Mirth's are much better: "Insufferable." "Blasted" "Spider's Eyes" (She is very fond of that one.) And "Bugs"
I'm sure there are others I've missed. I should go through the rest of the manuscript and find them all. I'm rather fond of Mirth's colorful language. The fourth letter really nails her voice. The language throughout the letters is a bit old fashioned. Though I'd even call it romanticized. Of course, it's best when the swearing suits the time period. It won't do any good if the girls mouth off like a modern diva or a trash talking hipster. Not that I'm really good at that kind of swearing. I'm much more fond of creative swear words. And in the event that Ange decides to color her language a bit more, I've made a list of the possible words that she might use.
Blast, bell-cry. old bat. Batty. Buck. dung beetle. Drat. Ding dong. Merry. Wretched Knave. Willywisher. Devil. Dox. Doxy. Pie-in-the-sky. Pox. Penny. Pluck. Plucky. Pickle-eater. Fie. Dull. Drum. Posh. Piss. Oh, Spite (Yes, I stole that one from Midsummer Night's Dream, but it's a good one.) Fee Fie Fo Fum. the doldrums. what a lark. Alas. Alack. Flip. Flap. Fury. Frog's legs. Filth. Rip Roar. Flossy. Hog. Tipsy topsy. Tilly. Faith.
Ah, the list could go on and on . . . after all, I'm just making most of them up as I go along. It's quite fun. Have I mentioned before I'm a fan of alliteration? Well, I am.
You know who's good at swearing, Ysabeau Wilce. Can't wait for her next book. I wish she blogged still, instead of twittering (tweeting. whatever.)
ReplyDeleteyeah. me too. Her blog was so fabulously quirky too.
ReplyDeleteI think curses are most effective when they are related to something slightly evil or are evil sounding. Just wicked. I mean, you couldn't say "Oh Bunnies" as a curse. Unless you are going for humour...then of course, anything fluffy and cuddly would be a hilarious curse.
I noticed curse words in American are usually one syllable, with only one vowel. Some of our curses are related to religion but the foulest one's are related to taboo bodyily functions or an aspect of the taboo body.
Of course, the English like to make their curses two syllables and are, well related to mostly animal taboo parts and, of course, the obession with blood.
Ange would probably say fiddlesticks or something lyrical and slightly offensive but not too evil.
I don't think she's a milksop. She's completely fabulous. She's more gentle and kinder than Mirth. Mirth is a complete snob. Can you imagine how it was when they were together? I"m sure Mirth bullied Ange to a certain extent and Ange problaby soften Mirth and made her more ...well gooey.
Ange is certainly a hopeless romantic, but with sense! She's very much an Jane Austen Eleanor, or, a spunkier Catherine but much more clever than either!
Mirth's Jane Austen equivalent would probably begin as Miss Bingley and soften into an Emmaish character...
Mirth with all her princess talk is very Emmaish...oh...
oh butter muffins! ( I say this one when I forget something....) I didn't realize you had a list of theorectical curses Ange would display!
ReplyDeletehmmm! Fee FIe Fo Fum is very funny and fairy tale like!
i like Pox! Oh Pox is a good Angry Curse word!
Willywisher! Very lyrical!
what about willynillywisher....or willy nilly oh! I love cursing!
Here are some food curses that I find fun and festive:
ReplyDeleteButter muffin
Fudge
Fudgsicle
Flapjacks
Sugar Cubes
muffins!!!( I don't know why but I like to use Muffins as a curse word. I'm not against them as a species...I just, I don't know, Like to use them in an exclamatory way.)
Goblin's eyes....that's a good one.
ReplyDeleteGoblin's eyes is a good one. Really, what's wrong with Muffins, I'm a fan. I think its my new one.
ReplyDeleteI like fiddlesticks alot. I'm putting it down in Ange's list.
In the beginning I think Ange's is quite daft, and selfish. She doesn't really think of other people. Austin's Catherine does fit her. But she isn't really sensible like Eleanor. If only.
Mirth is very much an "Emma". She is the youngest daughter after all. I love that by the second letter we're already seeing a little change in her - that she is growing to love her garden and natural beauty.
ReplyDeleteI don't Ange is daft. Not at all. If she was, Mirth would definitely hate her. And Mirth doesn't.
ReplyDeleteReally? You think Ange is Daft? No. Really? Why? REally?
Ange is daft because . . . I don't even know what that word means. (according to my dictionary daft means 1. not sensible, obviously silly or unreasonable 2. Scotland frivolous: thoughtless or frivolous
ReplyDeleteYES, that's Ange spot on. She is not sensible about the betrothal, she rarely thinks about her responsibilites as a Princess. She expects her mother to give her everything, and not to have to do anything except enjoy herself. She's been babied all her life, but that's no excuse.
In short, she is a 15 year old girl who needs to grow up, and open her eyes to the world.
I'm glad Mirth doesn't think Ange is daft. That's good. But doesn't it mean Mirth is obvious to Ange's faults, just as much as she is her own?