Name: ______________________________________ Period: _______ Date: ______________
Elizabethan Translation Activity
Using the Elizabethan Language Terms chart for assistance, translate each sentence below into
its contemporary equivalent.
!
1.! Wherefore do thou hate cheese?
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2.! Perchance my foe will bid this town adieu and end my woe.
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3.! Grammercy! Before the counsel thee wrought, I was plagued by too much will for ice
cream.
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4.! I would that I could mark each precious lecture in English.
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5.! Soft! Do thou want to dispatch the last of this milkshake?
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6.! Marry! Thou art hither, but thou should’st be thither.
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Translate two of your own sentences from contemporary to Elizabethan English.
E.g.
Original Sentence: I think you are never going to come here.
Elizabethan Version: Methinks thou art ne’r going come hither.
7.! Original: _______________________________________________________________
Elizabethan: ____________________________________________________________
CONTEMPORARY
Contemporary
Farewell
If
Soon
Away
Yes
Come here
Advice
Order
Speaks
Kill
Does
Even; evening
Goodbye
Enemy
Goodbye
Hello
Thank you
Listen
Sad; Depressed
Go
Here
Goodbye
Pay attention to
By the Virgin Mary (a mild expletive
meaning “indeed”)
I think
Days
No
Never
Nothing
Often
Elizabethan
Contemporary
Maybe
Curse
Beg
Informed
Plan
Ignore that
Boy (used to address a male of
inferior rank)
Wait a minute
You
There
You
You are
You should
You would
Your
News
Truly
Hello
Why
To which
Desire
With
Misery
Chase (romance, as in boy chases
girl)
Wish
Provided
To view more Elizabethan terms visit Haney’s Pub: Elizabethan Language
Lexicon (http://members.cox.net/hapnueby/lexicon.html).
Would
Wrought
Soft
Thee
Thither
Thou
Thou art
Thou should'st
Thou would'st
Thy
Tidings
Verily
Well met
Wherefore
Whereto
Will
Withal
Woe
Woo
Perchance
Plague
Pray
Privy
Resolve
Shun that
Sirrah
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Methinks
-morrow (to the morrow)
Nay
Ne'r
Nought
Oft
Elizabethan
Adieu
An
Anon
Aroint
Aye
Come hither
Counsel
Decree
Discourses
Dispatch
Doth
E’en
Fare thee well
Foe
God save thee
Good day; Good morrow
Grammercy
Hark; Hark now
Heavy
Hie
Hither
I shall see thee anon
Mark
Marry
Listed below are some common Elizabethan terms you will come across while reading Shakespeare. Use them to help you become familiar
with the language, as a reference while reading, and as a resource for writing in your journal.
ELIZABETHAN
ELIZABETHAN LANGUAGE TERMS