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Carew, Richard, 1555-1620

"The Survey of Cornwall And an epistle concerning the excellencies of the English tongue"

Divers words
we derive also out of the Latine at second hand by the French,
and make good English, tho' both Latine and French haue their hands
closed in that behalfe, as in these verbes, pray, point, paze, prest,
rent, &c. and also in the adverbes, carpingly, currantly, colourably,
actively, &c. Againe, in other Languages there fall out defects,
while they want means to deliver that which another Tongue expresseth,
as (by Cicero's Observation) you cannot interpret INEPTUS, unapt,
unfit, untoward, in Greeke. Neither PORCUS, CAPO, VERVEX,
a Barrow Hog, a Capon, a Weather, as Cuiacius noteth (*). No more
can you expresse to STAND in French, to TYE in Cornish, nor KNAVE
in Latin, (for Nebulo is a cloudy Fellow) or in Irish (**),
whereas you see our Abilitie extendeth thereunto.
(*) Ad Tit. de verb signif.
(**) See the Survey of Cornwall fol. 55]
Moreover, the Copiousnesse of our Language appeareth in the
diversitie of our Dialects; for we have Court and we have
Countrie English, we have Northerne and Southerne, grosse
and ordinarie, which differ each from the other not onely in
the Terminations, but also in many words, termes, and phrases,
and expresse the same thinges in divers sorts, yet all right
English alike.


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