Orthography

Question 1

Define capitalisation

Answer 1

Writers often did this on words to show importance, as well as how we use them today (for proper nouns & at the beginning of sentences). Contextually, you can discuss the text going through the process of Standardisation as a reason why this happened.

Question 2

Define ligatures.

Answer 2

Graphemes connected, a bit like this st.

Question 3

Define terminal <e>.</e>

Answer 3

This grapheme was used on words to show a schwa pronunciation, and thus an indication of accent of the time frame.

Question 4

Define variant orthography

Answer 4

You may see many different forms of a word, e.g. ‘beauty’ and ‘beautie’. This might be because the first established dictionary wasn’t until 1755 so there was no ‘standard’ to refer to. Additionally, multiple scribes could write one text, so you could see the work of multiple writers in action.

Question 5

Define interchangeable graphemes.

Answer 5

Writers often used <u> and <v> interchangeably, as well as <i> and <j>, and <i> and <y>.</y></i></j></i></v></u>

Question 6

Define apostrophe

Answer 6

Writers often placed this symbol in verbs where the grapheme <e> was unheard, e.g. din'd for dined.</e>

Question 7

Define ampersand

Answer 7

This is of latinate etymology (and = et in Latin and this symbol combines e+t together to get &). This is often why writers will write &c for ‘etc’ as &=et.