Subject: Re: Cravenhearted.
From: Jim Rovira (jrovira@drew.edu)
Date: Wed Feb 20 2002 - 19:30:31 GMT
I'm sorry, but I don't believe that for a second. Not for a nanosecond. Not
a hair of a millisecond. The facility with language was exceptional for a
college student (at least, all the college students I've read), impossible
for a seven year old.
And while I believe an avid reader of Austen would encounter the word
"fustian" (although I don't recall it, I won't say it isn't there), that
doesn't mean said reader will not need to look it up, much less incorporate
it into their everyday, write home to parents vocabulary...
Jim
Cecilia Baader wrote:
> --- Jim Rovira <jrovira@drew.edu> wrote:
>
> > Onerous? Fustian? How many college students use those words with ease?
>
> Fustian. I don't think you should make the mistake of the
> vocabulary-deficient college students of today with any child of
> yesterday.
>
> However, "onerous" and "fustian" are words that even a college student of
> today could find in any Jane Austen novel without looking very hard or
> very long. If Seymour is in need of a teacher and is looking to books to
> find that teacher, it would make sense that he should abscond with the
> favorite words of his favorite authors. Later in "Hapworth 16, 1924"
> Seymour lists the works of Jane Austen as necessary to him, even though
> he's read them before.
>
> Besides. At the age of twelve, I wasn't above using a "fustian" or two
> myself.
>
> Regards,
> Cecilia.
>
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