Original
Modern English
Is he at Master Ford’s already, think’st thou?
Do you think he’s already at Master Ford’s?
Sure he is by this, or will be presently: but, truly, he is very courageous mad about his throwing into the water. Mistress Ford desires you to come suddenly.
He should be by now, or will be soon. But, honestly, he’s really worked up about being thrown into the water. Mistress Ford wants you to come right away.
I’ll be with her by and by; I’ll but bring my young man here to school. Look, where his master comes; ’tis a playing-day, I see.
I’ll be with her in a minute; I just need to bring my son here to school. Look, here comes his master; it looks like a play day.
How now, Sir Hugh! no school to-day?
How’s it going, Sir Hugh? No school today?
No; Master Slender is let the boys leave to play.
No; Master Slender let the boys go off to play.
Blessing of his heart!
Bless his heart!
Sir Hugh, my husband says my son profits nothing in the world at his book. I pray you, ask him some questions in his accidence.
Sir Hugh, my husband says my son isn’t learning anything from his studies. Could you ask him some questions about his grammar?
Come hither, William; hold up your head; come.
Come here, William; lift up your head; come.
Come on, sirrah; hold up your head; answer your master, be not afraid.
Come on, boy; lift up your head; answer your master, don’t be shy.
William, how many numbers is in nouns?
William, how many numbers are there in nouns?
Two.
Two.
Truly, I thought there had been one number more, because they say, ’’Od’s nouns.’
Honestly, I thought there was one more number, because they say, "’Od’s nouns."
Peace your tattlings! What is ’fair,’ William?
Quiet down with your gossiping! What does ‘fair’ mean, William?
Pulcher.
Pretty.
Polecats! there are fairer things than polecats, sure.
Polecats! There are prettier things than polecats, for sure.
You are a very simplicity ’oman: I pray you peace. What is ’lapis,’ William?
You’re a very simple woman: I ask you to be quiet. What does ‘lapis’ mean, William?
A stone.
A stone.
And what is ’a stone,’ William?
And what does ‘a stone’ mean, William?
A pebble.
A pebble.
No, it is ’lapis:’ I pray you, remember in your prain.
No, it’s ‘lapis.’ Please, remember it in your head.
Lapis.
Lapis.
That is a good William. What is he, William, that does lend articles?
That’s good, William. What do you call the person who lends things?
Articles are borrowed of the pronoun, and be thus declined, Singulariter, nominativo, hic, haec, hoc.
The person who lends things is related to the pronoun, and they are declined like this: Singular, nominative, hic, haec, hoc.
Nominativo, hig, hag, hog; pray you, mark: genitivo, hujus. Well, what is your accusative case?
Nominative, hig, hag, hog; please, pay attention: genitive, hujus. Well, what is your accusative case?
Accusativo, hinc.
Accusative, hinc.
I pray you, have your remembrance, child, accusative, hung, hang, hog.
Please, remember, child, accusative, hung, hang, hog.
’Hang-hog’ is Latin for bacon, I warrant you.
‘Hang-hog’ is Latin for bacon, I bet.
Leave your prabbles, ’oman. What is the focative case, William?
Stop your nonsense, woman. What is the vocative case, William?
O,--vocativo, O.
Oh, --vocative, oh.
Remember, William; focative is caret.
Remember, William; vocative is "careful."
And that’s a good root.
And that’s a good root.
’Oman, forbear.
Woman, stop.
Peace!
Quiet!
What is your genitive case plural, William?
What is your genitive plural, William?
Genitive case!
Genitive plural!
Ay.
Yes.
Genitive,--horum, harum, horum.
Genitive, -- "horum," "harum," "horum."
Vengeance of Jenny’s case! fie on her! never name her, child, if she be a whore.
Damn Jenny’s case! Shame on her! Never mention her, child, if she’s a prostitute.
For shame, ’oman.
For shame, woman.
You do ill to teach the child such words: he teaches him to hick and to hack, which they’ll do fast enough of themselves, and to call ’horum:’ fie upon you!
You’re wrong to teach the child words like that: you’re teaching him to stutter and stumble, which he’ll do soon enough on his own, and to say "horum"—shame on you!
’Oman, art thou lunatics? hast thou no understandings for thy cases and the numbers of the genders? Thou art as foolish Christian creatures as I would desires.
Woman, are you crazy? Don’t you understand the rules for cases, numbers, and genders? You’re as foolish as any Christian creature I could imagine.
Prithee, hold thy peace.
Please, be quiet.
Show me now, William, some declensions of your pronouns.
Show me now, William, some forms of your pronouns.
Forsooth, I have forgot.
Truly, I’ve forgotten.
It is qui, quae, quod: if you forget your ’quies,’ your ’quaes,’ and your ’quods,’ you must be preeches. Go your ways, and play; go.
It’s qui, quae, quod: if you forget your ’quies,’ your ’quaes,’ and your ’quods,’ you must be preaches. Go on, and play; go.
He is a better scholar than I thought he was.
He’s a better scholar than I thought he was.
He is a good sprag memory. Farewell, Mistress Page.
He’s got a good sharp memory. Goodbye, Mistress Page.
Adieu, good Sir Hugh.
Goodbye, good Sir Hugh.
Get you home, boy. Come, we stay too long.
Get home, boy. Come on, we’re staying too long.