Love (?) Letter
We "travel" so much in time on the internet... I can talk with someone from California when my time is 1am here and their time is the day before! What would happen if we could go WAY back in time, and an online couple could perhaps be one person from the 17th century AND one person from the 20th century?
With the way language has changed over the centuries, would they really be able to communicate? Take perhaps this one example, a letter from a confused lover - this person is from the 17th century (Eve) and is replying to a "Dear Jane" letter from her very conservative, 20th century lover, Ruth.... what follows is what the 20th century lover (Ruth) receives and understands. Needless to say she's a bit shocked by it.
What follows is LITERALLY what words were written on the page.
My dear sweetheart Ruth,
I received your last letter and read it in confusion. I do not understand why you find my propositioning you too forward. Or why you think you do not attract me.
I am certainly not cute, nor nice, nor of a neat countenance as you mentioned in your last letter - and you say you said that in an attempt to "let me down kindly?" Whatever gave you the idea that was kind?
You are most large and stout. I would enjoy intercourse with you. I see you in a horny light and am of a mind to put you in a rack!
And as for your loins - why they are substantial! I should like to face them and gently give tongue to them.
Please reconsider and allow me to attend to you.
Yours faithfully,
Eve
Thing is, this is what poor Jane was thinking when she wrote the above letter (admittedly we did go to a bit of an extreme to find the more unusual obsolete meanings of words here):
What follows is what those same words above MEAN to the 17th century writer who wrote them (and is what she THOUGHT she was saying to Ruth):
My dear sweetheart Ruth,
I received your last letter and read it in confusion. I do not understand why you find my attention toward you too forward. Or why you think you do not attract me.
I am certainly not a mangy dog, nor wanton and loose, nor look like a cow as you mentioned in your last letter - and you say you said that in an attempt to "let me down kindly?" Whatever gave you the idea that was kind?
You are most generous and faithful, honest and energetic. I would enjoy seeing you socially. I see you through a romantic hazy veil and want to write songs about you!
And as for your children - why they are special and unique! I would like to meet them and gently talk with them.
Please reconsider and allow me to date you.
Yours faithfully,
Eve
In a world where now something can be hot and cool at the same time... where flammable and inflammable things both ignite... and a person that's bad is good... is there any surprise that we get even more confused when we try to read back and understand the writers who have gone before us?
Food for thought!