For Kids

"Your Most Obedient Servant":

Eighteenth Century Speech

Use contractions for it is, it was, and it will.

Say:

Not:
‘Tis a fine, warm day.  It’s a fine warm day.
‘Twas a very trifling rain.  It was a very trifling rain.
‘Twill be an honor, Sir.  It’ll be an honor, Sir.

 

Address Your Relatives Thusly:
What To Say: Example:
Call men Sir and women Madam or Mistress. Good Morning, Madam.
Use Mr., Mrs., or Mistress, and Miss along with the person’s last name. Mistress Chads was here this morning.
If you are a young child, call your parents Papa and Mama. An older daughter may call her father Daddy or Papa, and a boy or man should say Father.  
Address people according to their relationship to you:  Husband, Neighbor, Brother, Sister, Wife, Friend, Cousin, Uncle, Aunt To be sure, Uncle, you know these matters better than I.

I am glad to see you, Cousin.
Greet people with How do you do? Ask about the person’s family or express pleasure at seeing the other person. How do you do, Mr. Harrison? I’m glad to see you.

How do you do? How does all at home?
Gentlemen may say, Your servant, Your humble servant, or Your most obedient servant, as part of a greeting. Sir, I am your most obedient servant.  I am heartily glad to see you.
Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, and good day are appropriate greetings.  

 

Use some folk expressions in your speech:
to put on (or give oneself) to make the best of a bad bargain
to beat about the bush not worth a button
poor as a church mouse to be in the dark
to fit like a glove to be true blue
as clear as day to be in a pickle
to forgive and forget  

 

Eighteenth-Century Proverbial Sayings:
A proverb is a short, pointedly meaningful, and much-used saying that expresses a well-known truth or fact.

Complete each proverbial saying with words that make sense to you:

Actions speak louder than______________________________.

Beggars must not be _________________________________.

A fool and his money are ______________________________.

No news is _________________________________________.

It never rains but _____________________________________.

When in Rome, do ___________________________________.

Birds of a feather ____________________________________.

The proof of the pudding is _____________________________.

A man's home is _____________________________________.

Of two evils, choose __________________________________.

Money does not grow _________________________________.

He who dances must __________________________________.