(continuation from previous blog “B is for Ballyhoo”)

cacography

noun

ca·​cog·​ra·​phy | \ ka-ˈkä-grə-fē \

Definition of cacography

1: bad spelling

2: bad handwriting

WEBSTER AND THE WORD

In 1833 Noah Webster published the Webster Bible which was a revision of the King James Version published in, you guessed it, England.  Like Bible translators of medieval times, such as John Wycliff, and William Tyndale who faced the hierarchal wrath of the Diarchy of Church and State with their efforts to bring the Word of God from unspoken Latin to the vulgar language of English and other languages in Europe, he tried to be in his words, “…careful to avoid unnecessary innovations, and to retain the general character of the style.”

diarchy

noun

di·​ar·​chy

: a government in which power is vested in two rulers or authorities

vulgar

adjective

vul·​gar | \ ˈvəl-gər  \

Definition of vulgar

a: lacking in cultivation, perception, or taste: COARSE

b: morally crude, undeveloped, or unregenerate: GROSS

c: ostentatious or excessive in expenditure or display: PRETENTIOUS

2a: offensive in language: EARTHY

b: lewdly or profanely indecent

: generally used, applied, or accepted

: of or relating to the common people: PLEBEIAN

: generally current: PUBLIC the vulgar opinion of that time

: of the usual, typical, or ordinary kind

Preface to Webster’s Revision of the KJV (1833)

In his circumlocutory, grandiloquent, transparent preface, he sprinkles gems and principles of Bible Translation.  Note though his “wokeness”.

“…A few errors in the translation, which are admitted on all hands to be obvious, have been corrected; and some obscure passages, illustrated. In making these amendments, I have consulted the original languages, and also several translations and commentaries. In the body of the work, my aim has been to preserve, but in certain passages, more clearly to express the sense of the present version.

“The language of the Bible has no inconsiderable influence in forming and preserving our national language. On this account, the language of the common version ought to be correct in grammatical construction, and in the use of appropriate words. This is the more important, as men who are accustomed to read the Bible with veneration are apt to contract a predilection for its phraseology, and thus to become attached to phrases which are quaint or obsolete. This may be a real misfortune; for the use of words and phrases, when they have ceased to be a part of the living language, and appear odd or singular, impairs the purity of the language, and is apt to create a disrelish for it in those who have not, by long practice, contracted a like predilection. It may require some effort to subdue this predilection; but it may be done, and for the sake of the rising generation, it is desirable. The language of the scriptures ought to be pure, chaste, simple and perspicuous, free from any words or phrases which may excite observation by their singularity; and neither debased by vulgarisms, not tricked out with the ornaments of affected elegance.”

Is it just me or did you notice, and simultaneously cry and die laughing, that he used the phrase: “tricked out”.  In simple man on the street words, he said: “Like, don’t trick out God’s word, Bruh!”

For you readers who love and geek out on the Good Book, I listed below some of Noah Webster’s, as he explains it, “alterations” to the King James Bible that he lists and explains in the beginning of his version.  

woke

adjective

\ ˈwōk  \

woker; wokest

Definition of woke

chiefly US slang

: aware of and actively attentive to important facts and issues (especially issues of racial and social justice)

example: But we will only succeed if we reject the growing pressure to retreat into cynicism and hopelessness. … We have a moral obligation to "stay woke," take a stand and be active; challenging injustices and racism in our communities and fighting hatred and discrimination wherever it rises. — Barbara Lee

tricked-out

adjective

\ ˈtrikt-ˈau̇t  \

variants: or less commonly tricked out

Definition of tricked-out 

: dressed (someone or oneself) especially in an unusual or elaborate way

: decorated or equipped in an extravagant  way… would watch the Yankees' stars drive out of the players' parking lot in their sports cars and tricked-out SUVs …— Tom Verducci

geek out

verb

Definition of geek out

intransitive verb

informal

: to behave like a geek especially: to become excited or enthusiastic about a favored subject or activity

Webster’s Revision of the KJV

 Notice below Webster’s comments in the prelude of his revision of the Bible.*

“The principal alterations in the language of the common version of the Scriptures, made in this edition, stated and explained.”

·      Expire, generally for give or yield up the ghost, Gen. 49.33, &c. or yield the breath. Job 11.20; 14.10.

·      Cows for kine. The latter is nearly obsolete, and the former is used in several passages of the version; it is therefore judged expedient to render the language uniform. Gen. 32.15, &c.

·      People or persons, for folk. Gen. 33.15; Mark 6.5, &c.

·      Sixty for three score, and eighty for four score. Two score and five score are never used. It appears to me most eligible to retain but one mode of specifying numbers. Uniformity is preferable to diversity. Gen. 25.26; Ex. 7.7, &c.

·      Vomit for spew. Lev. 18.28; Rev. 3.16, &c.

·      Holy Spirit. The word ghost is now used almost exclusively for an apparition, except in this phrase, Holy Ghost. I have therefore uniformly used Holy Spirit.

·      Hell. The word hell in the Old Testament, and sometimes in the New, is used, not for a place of torment, but for the grave, region of the dead, lower or invisible world; sheol in Hebrew, hades in Greek. I have in most passages retained the word in the text but have inserted an explanatory note in the margin. In Ezekiel 31, I have rendered the word grave in two or three verses, to make the version conformable to verse 15.

·      Lord  for Jehovah. When the word Lord is in small capitals, it stands for Jehovah of the original. I have not altered the version, except in a few passages, where the word JEHOVAH seems to be important; as in Isaiah 51.22, where “thy Lord, the LORD,” seem to be at least awkward, if not unintelligible, to an illiterate reader. See also Jer. 32.18, where there is a peculiar propriety in expressing the true name of the Supreme Being. See also Jer. 23.6, and 33.16.

 Ways to Celebrate National Dictionary Day

1. Buy your family a Merriam-Webster Dictionary and seek and find with words.

2. When your child or student doesn’t know the definition of a word, ask them to look up physically the word and its definition.

3. In comments below please share the coolest word you know (doesn’t have to be English) with the definition. (optional use it in a sentence)

4. Please comment and share this blog with others and spread the word.

5. GAMES - COMMONLY CONFUSED WORDS LIST

   https://www.merriam-webster.com/words-at-play/commonly-confused-words-list

   Part 4 of this blog will be released this week. Webster and the Word on the Street… D is for_________. Please give me a good word that starts with the Letter D. Comment Below. :-).

* R e f e r e n c e s

• Preface of the Noah Webster Bible https://www.bible-researcher.com/webster.html

• Definitions listed in this blog are from the Merriam Webster Dictionary.