Welcome to Lesson 19 of the Latinum Institute Elizabethan English Course, designed for autodidact learners who wish to read and understand the language of Shakespeare, Marlowe, and the King James Bible in its original form.
Course Index:
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FAQ: What does “this” mean in Elizabethan English?
The word this functions as a proximal demonstrative pronoun and determiner in Early Modern English, pointing to something near the speaker in space, time, or discourse. While its core meaning remains identical to Modern English, Elizabethan usage displays several distinctive features: greater frequency in emphatic constructions, occurrence in now-archaic phrases like “this day” for “today,” and prominent use in theatrical direct address where characters gesture toward objects or persons on the bare stage. The word participates in the demonstrative system alongside that (distal), these (proximal plural), and those (distal plural), with yonder available for objects at greater distance.
In the fifteen examples that follow, you will encounter this in its various syntactic roles: as a determiner modifying nouns, as a pronoun standing alone, in phrases indicating temporal immediacy, and in the emphatic constructions beloved of Elizabethan dramatists. The interlinear glossing format renders each word transparent, allowing you to absorb the grammatical patterns directly without translation interference.
Key Takeaways: -
This marks proximity to the speaker (spatial, temporal, or conceptual) -
Elizabethan texts use this emphatically far more than modern prose -
The phrase “this day” serves where modern speakers would say “today” -
Theatrical contexts exploit this for stage deixis and dramatic pointing -
Pronunciation remains /ðɪs/, stable across the Early Modern period
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This course employs IPA transcription reflecting Early Modern English pronunciation (c. 1580–1620), which differs from both Middle English and contemporary Received Pronunciation. Key features include:
The Great Vowel Shift (In Progress): -
Long vowels were still shifting; some pronunciations intermediate -
/iː/ had not fully raised to modern positions -
/uː/ retained more back quality
Period-Specific Features:
Sound Elizabethan IPA Modern IPA Example -tion /tɪ.ɔn/ or /sjɔn/ /ʃən/ nation /ˈneɪ.tɪ.ɔn/ -sion /zɪ.ɔn/ /ʒən/ occasion /ɔ.ˈkeɪ.zɪ.ɔn/ initial kn- /kn/ /n/ know /knoː/ initial wr- /wr/ /r/ write /wriːt/ -ed (past) /ɛd/ (often syllabic) /d/ or /t/ loved /ˈlʊv.ɛd/ wh- /hw/ /w/ what /hwɔt/ r /r/ (trilled or tapped) varies reason /ˈriː.zɔn/
This Lesson’s Focus Word: -
this — /ðɪs/ — unchanged from modern pronunciation -
The dental fricative /ð/ was fully voiced -
No significant shift in demonstrative pronunciation
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19.1a This sword hath drunk deep of mine enemy’s blood.
19.1b This /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX sword /soːrd/ weapon hath /hæθ/ has-3SG drunk /drʊŋk/ consumed-PTCP deep /diːp/ greatly of /ɔv/ from mine /maɪn/ my enemy’s /ˈɛn.ɛ.miːz/ foe-GEN blood /blʊd/ vital-fluid
19.2a What news bring’st thou this morning?
19.2b What /hwɔt/ what news /njuːz/ tidings bring’st /ˈbrɪŋst/ bring-2SG thou /ðaʊ/ you-FAM this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX morning /ˈmɔr.nɪŋ/ morn
19.3a This is the very coinage of your brain.
19.3b This /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX is /ɪz/ be-3SG the /ðə/ DEF.ART very /ˈvɛ.ri/ true coinage /ˈkɔɪ.nɪdʒ/ fabrication of /ɔv/ from your /juːr/ your brain /breɪn/ mind
19.4a Look upon this picture, and on this.
19.4b Look /luːk/ gaze-IMP upon /ə.ˈpɔn/ at this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX picture /ˈpɪk.tjʊr/ portrait and /ænd/ CONJ on /ɔn/ at this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX
19.5a By this good light, I speak not in jest.
19.5b By /baɪ/ by this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX good /guːd/ fair light /liːt/ illumination I /aɪ/ 1SG.NOM speak /spiːk/ talk-1SG not /nɔt/ NEG in /ɪn/ in jest /dʒɛst/ joke
19.6a This villain hath betrayed the nation’s trust.
19.6b This /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX villain /ˈvɪl.ən/ scoundrel hath /hæθ/ has-3SG betrayed /bɪ.ˈtreɪ.ɛd/ deceived-PTCP the /ðə/ DEF.ART nation’s /ˈneɪ.tɪ.ɔnz/ country-GEN trust /trʊst/ faith
19.7a I know not what this passion signifies.
19.7b I /aɪ/ 1SG.NOM know /knoː/ understand-1SG not /nɔt/ NEG what /hwɔt/ what this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX passion /ˈpæ.sjɔn/ emotion signifies /ˈsɪg.nɪ.faɪz/ means-3SG
19.8a This day shall be remembered evermore.
19.8b This /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX day /deɪ/ day shall /ʃæl/ FUT be /biː/ be remembered /rɪ.ˈmɛm.bɛr.ɛd/ recalled-PTCP evermore /ˌɛv.ər.ˈmɔːr/ always
19.9a This above all: to thine own self be true.
19.9b This /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX above /ə.ˈbʊv/ over all /ɔːl/ everything to /tuː/ to thine /ðaɪn/ thy own /oːn/ own self /sɛlf/ self be /biː/ be-IMP true /truː/ faithful
19.10a What portion falls to me in this division?
19.10b What /hwɔt/ what portion /ˈpɔr.tɪ.ɔn/ share falls /fɔːlz/ comes-3SG to /tuː/ to me /miː/ 1SG.DAT in /ɪn/ in this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX division /dɪ.ˈvɪ.zɪ.ɔn/ partition
19.11a This letter will confirm my accusation.
19.11b This /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX letter /ˈlɛt.ər/ epistle will /wɪl/ FUT confirm /kɔn.ˈfɜrm/ verify my /maɪ/ 1SG.POSS accusation /ˌæk.juː.ˈzeɪ.tɪ.ɔn/ charge
19.12a Is this the face that launched a thousand ships?
19.12b Is /ɪz/ be-3SG this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX the /ðə/ DEF.ART face /feɪs/ countenance that /ðæt/ REL launched /lɔːntʃt/ sent-PTCP a /ə/ INDEF.ART thousand /ˈθaʊ.zənd/ 1000 ships /ʃɪps/ vessels
19.13a The remedy lies wholly in this action.
19.13b The /ðə/ DEF.ART remedy /ˈrɛm.ɛ.di/ cure lies /laɪz/ resides-3SG wholly /ˈhoːl.li/ entirely in /ɪn/ in this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX action /ˈæk.tɪ.ɔn/ deed
19.14a This tempest in mine heart doth rage unchecked.
19.14b This /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX tempest /ˈtɛm.pɛst/ storm in /ɪn/ in mine /maɪn/ my heart /hɑːrt/ heart doth /dʊθ/ AUX-3SG rage /reɪdʒ/ storm-INF unchecked /ʊn.ˈtʃɛkt/ unrestrained
19.15a I do beseech thee, consider well this proposition.
19.15b I /aɪ/ 1SG.NOM do /duː/ AUX-EMPH beseech /bɪ.ˈsiːtʃ/ implore thee /ðiː/ 2SG.ACC.FAM consider /kɔn.ˈsɪd.ər/ weigh-IMP well /wɛl/ carefully this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX proposition /ˌprɔp.ɔ.ˈzɪ.tɪ.ɔn/ proposal
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19.1 This sword hath drunk deep of mine enemy’s blood. “This sword has drunk deeply of my enemy’s blood.”
19.2 What news bring’st thou this morning? “What news do you bring this morning?”
19.3 This is the very coinage of your brain. “This is purely a fabrication of your imagination.”
19.4 Look upon this picture, and on this. “Look at this portrait, and at this one.”
19.5 By this good light, I speak not in jest. “By this good light, I am not joking.”
19.6 This villain hath betrayed the nation’s trust. “This villain has betrayed the nation’s trust.”
19.7 I know not what this passion signifies. “I do not know what this emotion means.”
19.8 This day shall be remembered evermore. “This day will be remembered forever.”
19.9 This above all: to thine own self be true. “This above all: be true to your own self.”
19.10 What portion falls to me in this division? “What share comes to me in this distribution?”
19.11 This letter will confirm my accusation. “This letter will confirm my accusation.”
19.12 Is this the face that launched a thousand ships? “Is this the face that launched a thousand ships?”
19.13 The remedy lies wholly in this action. “The remedy lies entirely in this course of action.”
19.14 This tempest in mine heart doth rage unchecked. “This storm in my heart rages uncontrolled.”
19.15 I do beseech thee, consider well this proposition. “I implore you, consider this proposal carefully.”
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19.1 This sword hath drunk deep of mine enemy’s blood.
19.2 What news bring’st thou this morning?
19.3 This is the very coinage of your brain.
19.4 Look upon this picture, and on this.
19.5 By this good light, I speak not in jest.
19.6 This villain hath betrayed the nation’s trust.
19.7 I know not what this passion signifies.
19.8 This day shall be remembered evermore.
19.9 This above all: to thine own self be true.
19.10 What portion falls to me in this division?
19.11 This letter will confirm my accusation.
19.12 Is this the face that launched a thousand ships?
19.13 The remedy lies wholly in this action.
19.14 This tempest in mine heart doth rage unchecked.
19.15 I do beseech thee, consider well this proposition.
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These are the grammar rules for “this” in Elizabethan English:
1. Basic Function
The word this operates as a proximal demonstrative, indicating nearness to the speaker. It may function as a determiner (modifying a noun) or as a pronoun (standing independently).
As determiner: This sword hath drunk deep... As pronoun: This is the very coinage of your brain.
2. The Demonstrative System
Elizabethan English maintains a four-term demonstrative system with an additional fifth term for greater distance:
PROXIMAL SINGULAR: this — near the speaker DISTAL SINGULAR: that — away from the speaker PROXIMAL PLURAL: these — multiple items near speaker DISTAL PLURAL: those — multiple items at distance REMOTE: yonder — visible but at considerable distance
The choice between this and that depends not only on physical distance but also on psychological or emotional proximity. Speakers use this for what they endorse or identify with, that for what they reject or distance themselves from.
3. Emphatic Usage
Elizabethan writers employ this emphatically far more frequently than modern writers. The word calls attention to what follows, demanding the audience’s focus. In theatrical contexts, actors physically gesture toward the indicated object.
Look upon this picture, and on this — Each this prompts a gesture toward a different portrait.
4. Temporal “This”
The phrase this day commonly replaces what modern speakers express as “today.” Similarly:
this night — tonight this morrow — this morning, the coming morning this hour — right now, at this very moment this instant — immediately
This day shall be remembered evermore — “Today will be remembered forever”
5. Oath Constructions
This appears in oath formulas where speakers swear by something present or invoke visible objects as witnesses:
By this good light — an oath invoking daylight By this hand — an oath invoking one’s own hand By this sword — an oath upon one’s weapon
6. Period-Specific Pronunciation of Surrounding Words
While this itself remains /ðɪs/, the words it modifies often carry period pronunciation:
Words ending in -tion: The suffix was pronounced /tɪ.ɔn/ or /sjɔn/, not modern /ʃən/ -
nation /ˈneɪ.tɪ.ɔn/ -
passion /ˈpæ.sjɔn/ -
action /ˈæk.tɪ.ɔn/ -
proposition /ˌprɔp.ɔ.ˈzɪ.tɪ.ɔn/
Words ending in -sion: Pronounced /zɪ.ɔn/, not /ʒən/ -
division /dɪ.ˈvɪ.zɪ.ɔn/ -
occasion /ɔ.ˈkeɪ.zɪ.ɔn/
Common Mistakes:
MISTAKE: Using this and these interchangeably CORRECTION: This is strictly singular; these is strictly plural
MISTAKE: Pronouncing -tion endings as modern /ʃən/ CORRECTION: Use syllabic /tɪ.ɔn/ for period authenticity
MISTAKE: Treating this as informal CORRECTION: Elizabethan this appears in the highest registers
MISTAKE: Omitting the emphatic quality CORRECTION: This in theatrical contexts demands vocal stress
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Theatrical Deixis and the Bare Stage
The Elizabethan theatre operated without elaborate scenery. The thrust stage at the Globe extended into an audience lit by the same daylight as the actors. In this environment, this became a crucial tool for creating dramatic space through language and gesture. When Hamlet says “Look upon this picture, and on this,” the actor’s gesture combined with the demonstrative creates the portraits for the audience’s imagination.
The Language of Presence
Elizabethan culture valued physical presence and immediacy. Legal transactions required witnesses to be bodily present. Oaths gained force from tangible objects. The demonstrative this partakes of this cultural emphasis on the here-and-now. To say “by this hand” was to invoke one’s own flesh as surety; to say “this day” was to anchor speech in the irreducible present moment.
Social Register
Unlike many grammatical features that varied by social class, this appears uniformly across all registers in Elizabethan texts. Kings and clowns alike use this without distinction. However, the emphatic and oath-bearing uses of this appear more frequently in elevated speech, particularly in moments of high drama or solemn pronouncement.
Religious Language
The King James Bible (1611) and the Book of Common Prayer employ this in formulations that passed into everyday speech:
“This is my body” — the words of institution “This day have I begotten thee” — Psalm 2:7 “This is the day which the Lord hath made” — Psalm 118:24
Such phrases imbued the demonstrative with sacramental weight, a quality Elizabethan dramatists could invoke or subvert.
Regional Variation
The demonstrative system remained stable across English dialects in the Early Modern period, though some regional varieties preserved older forms. The demonstrative this shows no significant dialect variation in the surviving textual record.
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Source: William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act III, Scene IV (c. 1600)
The following passage contains multiple instances of this in Hamlet’s confrontation with his mother Gertrude in her closet.
F-A: INTERLINEAR CONSTRUED TEXT
F.1a Look here, upon this picture, and on this,
F.1b Look /luːk/ gaze-IMP here /hiːr/ here upon /ə.ˈpɔn/ at this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX picture /ˈpɪk.tjʊr/ portrait and /ænd/ CONJ on /ɔn/ at this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX
F.2a The counterfeit presentment of two brothers.
F.2b The /ðə/ DEF.ART counterfeit /ˈkaʊn.tər.fɪt/ imitation presentment /prɪ.ˈzɛnt.mənt/ representation of /ɔv/ of two /tuː/ two brothers /ˈbrʊð.ərz/ siblings
F.3a See, what a grace was seated on this brow;
F.3b See /siː/ behold-IMP what /hwɔt/ what a /ə/ INDEF.ART grace /greɪs/ dignity was /wɔz/ be-PAST seated /ˈsiːt.ɛd/ placed-PTCP on /ɔn/ upon this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX brow /braʊ/ forehead
F.4a Hyperion’s curls, the front of Jove himself,
F.4b Hyperion’s /haɪ.ˈpɪr.i.ɔnz/ sun-god-GEN curls /kɜrlz/ locks the /ðə/ DEF.ART front /frʊnt/ forehead of /ɔv/ of Jove /dʒoːv/ Jupiter himself /hɪm.ˈsɛlf/ himself
F.5a An eye like Mars, to threaten and command;
F.5b An /æn/ INDEF.ART eye /aɪ/ eye like /laɪk/ like Mars /mɑːrz/ Mars to /tuː/ to threaten /ˈθrɛt.ən/ menace and /ænd/ CONJ command /kɔ.ˈmænd/ order
F.6a This was your husband. Look you now, what follows:
F.6b This /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX was /wɔz/ be-PAST your /juːr/ your husband /ˈhʊz.bənd/ spouse Look /luːk/ behold-IMP you /juː/ you now /naʊ/ now what /hwɔt/ what follows /ˈfɔl.oːz/ ensues-3SG
F-B: NATURAL SENTENCES WITH TRANSLATION
Look here, upon this picture, and on this, The counterfeit presentment of two brothers. See, what a grace was seated on this brow; Hyperion’s curls, the front of Jove himself, An eye like Mars, to threaten and command; This was your husband. Look you now, what follows.
“Look here at this portrait, and at this one—the painted likenesses of two brothers. See what dignity graced this brow: the curls of the sun god, the forehead of Jupiter himself, an eye like Mars, capable of threat and command. This was your husband. Now look at what comes after.”
F-C: AUTHENTIC TEXT ONLY
Look here, upon this picture, and on this, The counterfeit presentment of two brothers. See, what a grace was seated on this brow; Hyperion’s curls, the front of Jove himself, An eye like Mars, to threaten and command; This was your husband. Look you now, what follows.
F-D: GRAMMAR AND VOCABULARY NOTES
Shakespeare deploys this with cumulative force in this passage. The first line contains two instances: “upon this picture, and on this.” Hamlet holds or gestures toward two miniature portraits—one of his father, one of Claudius. The repeated demonstrative demands physical action from the actor and visual attention from both Gertrude and the audience.
“This brow” continues the pointing: Hamlet directs attention to specific features in the portrait of his father. The demonstrative makes abstract praise concrete, anchoring divine comparisons (Hyperion, Jove, Mars) to a visible image.
“This was your husband” employs the demonstrative pronominally, summing up the accumulated praise. The past tense was creates temporal distance even as this creates spatial immediacy—a characteristic Shakespearean tension.
The pronunciation of Hyperion follows Classical norms: /haɪ.ˈpɪr.i.ɔn/, with stress on the second syllable and the “-ion” ending pronounced as two syllables.
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A scene between a merchant (Edmund) and his apprentice (Tom), wherein discovery is made of treachery.
19.16a Edmund: What occupation hath filled this morning’s hours?
19.16b What /hwɔt/ what occupation /ˌɔk.juː.ˈpeɪ.tɪ.ɔn/ task hath /hæθ/ has-3SG filled /fɪld/ consumed-PTCP this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX morning’s /ˈmɔr.nɪŋz/ morning-GEN hours /aʊrz/ time
19.17a Tom: I have attended to the ship’s provision, master.
19.17b I /aɪ/ 1SG.NOM have /hæv/ have-1SG attended /ə.ˈtɛnd.ɛd/ tended-PTCP to /tuː/ to the /ðə/ DEF.ART ship’s /ʃɪps/ vessel-GEN provision /prɔ.ˈvɪ.zɪ.ɔn/ supplies master /ˈmæs.tər/ sir
19.18a Edmund: And what of this letter from the Amsterdam factor?
19.18b And /ænd/ CONJ what /hwɔt/ what of /ɔv/ about this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX letter /ˈlɛt.ər/ epistle from /frɔm/ from the /ðə/ DEF.ART Amsterdam /ˌæm.stər.ˈdæm/ Amsterdam factor /ˈfæk.tər/ agent
19.19a Tom: I know nothing of this communication, sir.
19.19b I /aɪ/ 1SG.NOM know /knoː/ know-1SG nothing /ˈnʊθ.ɪŋ/ nothing of /ɔv/ about this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX communication /kɔ.ˌmjuː.nɪ.ˈkeɪ.tɪ.ɔn/ message sir /sɜr/ sir
19.20a Edmund: Then how came this seal to bear thy thumbprint?
19.20b Then /ðɛn/ then how /haʊ/ how came /keɪm/ come-PAST this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX seal /siːl/ wax-seal to /tuː/ to bear /bɛːr/ carry thy /ðaɪ/ your-FAM.POSS thumbprint /ˈθʊm.prɪnt/ thumb-mark
19.21a Tom: Some deception surely—this cannot be mine doing.
19.21b Some /sʊm/ some deception /dɪ.ˈsɛp.tɪ.ɔn/ trickery surely /ˈʃuːr.li/ certainly this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX cannot /ˈkæn.ɔt/ cannot be /biː/ be mine /maɪn/ my doing /ˈduː.ɪŋ/ action
19.22a Edmund: I have heard this protestation before from faithless men.
19.22b I /aɪ/ 1SG.NOM have /hæv/ have-1SG heard /hɜrd/ heard-PTCP this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX protestation /ˌprɔt.ɛ.ˈsteɪ.tɪ.ɔn/ denial before /bɪ.ˈfɔːr/ before from /frɔm/ from faithless /ˈfeɪθ.lɛs/ disloyal men /mɛn/ men
19.23a Tom: By this hand, I swear I have not touched the letter.
19.23b By /baɪ/ by this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX hand /hænd/ hand I /aɪ/ 1SG.NOM swear /swɛːr/ vow-1SG I /aɪ/ 1SG.NOM have /hæv/ have-1SG not /nɔt/ NEG touched /tʊtʃt/ handled-PTCP the /ðə/ DEF.ART letter /ˈlɛt.ər/ epistle
19.24a Edmund: This oath rings hollow to mine ear.
19.24b This /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX oath /oːθ/ vow rings /rɪŋz/ sounds-3SG hollow /ˈhɔl.oː/ empty to /tuː/ to mine /maɪn/ my ear /ɪːr/ ear
19.25a Tom: Master, consider—what temptation could this venture offer me?
19.25b Master /ˈmæs.tər/ sir consider /kɔn.ˈsɪd.ər/ think-IMP what /hwɔt/ what temptation /tɛmp.ˈteɪ.tɪ.ɔn/ enticement could /kuːd/ could this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX venture /ˈvɛn.tjʊr/ enterprise offer /ˈɔf.ər/ provide me /miː/ 1SG.DAT
19.26a Edmund: Thirty pounds in Spanish gold lay in this chest.
19.26b Thirty /ˈθɜr.ti/ 30 pounds /paʊndz/ pounds in /ɪn/ in Spanish /ˈspæn.ɪʃ/ Spanish gold /goːld/ gold lay /leɪ/ lie-PAST in /ɪn/ in this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX chest /tʃɛst/ coffer
19.27a Tom: And doth this sum remain intact?
19.27b And /ænd/ CONJ doth /dʊθ/ do-3SG this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX sum /sʊm/ amount remain /rɪ.ˈmeɪn/ remain intact /ɪn.ˈtækt/ whole
19.28a Edmund: Count for thyself—this is what I find: twenty and three.
19.28b Count /kaʊnt/ count-IMP for /fɔːr/ for thyself /ðaɪ.ˈsɛlf/ yourself-FAM this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX is /ɪz/ be-3SG what /hwɔt/ what I /aɪ/ 1SG.NOM find /faɪnd/ discover-1SG twenty /ˈtwɛn.ti/ 20 and /ænd/ CONJ three /θriː/ 3
19.29a Tom: Then this accusation falls justly upon my head.
19.29b Then /ðɛn/ then this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX accusation /ˌæk.juː.ˈzeɪ.tɪ.ɔn/ charge falls /fɔːlz/ falls-3SG justly /ˈdʒʊst.li/ rightfully upon /ə.ˈpɔn/ upon my /maɪ/ 1SG.POSS head /hɛd/ head
19.30a Edmund: Confession brings relief—this day marks thy last in my employ.
19.30b Confession /kɔn.ˈfɛ.sjɔn/ admission brings /brɪŋz/ brings-3SG relief /rɪ.ˈliːf/ ease this /ðɪs/ DEM.PROX day /deɪ/ day marks /mɑːrks/ marks-3SG thy /ðaɪ/ your-FAM.POSS last /læst/ final in /ɪn/ in my /maɪ/ 1SG.POSS employ /ɛm.ˈplɔɪ/ service
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19.16 Edmund: What occupation hath filled this morning’s hours? “Edmund: What task has filled this morning’s hours?”
19.17 Tom: I have attended to the ship’s provision, master. “Tom: I have seen to the ship’s supplies, master.”
19.18 Edmund: And what of this letter from the Amsterdam factor? “Edmund: And what about this letter from the Amsterdam agent?”
19.19 Tom: I know nothing of this communication, sir. “Tom: I know nothing of this message, sir.”
19.20 Edmund: Then how came this seal to bear thy thumbprint? “Edmund: Then how did this seal come to bear your thumbprint?”
19.21 Tom: Some deception surely—this cannot be mine doing. “Tom: Some trickery, surely—this cannot be my doing.”
19.22 Edmund: I have heard this protestation before from faithless men. “Edmund: I have heard this denial before from disloyal men.”
19.23 Tom: By this hand, I swear I have not touched the letter. “Tom: By this hand, I swear I have not touched the letter.”
19.24 Edmund: This oath rings hollow to mine ear. “Edmund: This oath sounds hollow to my ear.”
19.25 Tom: Master, consider—what temptation could this venture offer me? “Tom: Master, consider—what temptation could this enterprise offer me?”
19.26 Edmund: Thirty pounds in Spanish gold lay in this chest. “Edmund: Thirty pounds in Spanish gold lay in this chest.”
19.27 Tom: And doth this sum remain intact? “Tom: And does this amount remain intact?”
19.28 Edmund: Count for thyself—this is what I find: twenty and three. “Edmund: Count for yourself—this is what I find: twenty-three.”
19.29 Tom: Then this accusation falls justly upon my head. “Tom: Then this accusation rightly falls upon me.”
19.30 Edmund: Confession brings relief—this day marks thy last in my employ. “Edmund: Confession brings relief—today marks your last day in my service.”
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19.16 Edmund: What occupation hath filled this morning’s hours?
19.17 Tom: I have attended to the ship’s provision, master.
19.18 Edmund: And what of this letter from the Amsterdam factor?
19.19 Tom: I know nothing of this communication, sir.
19.20 Edmund: Then how came this seal to bear thy thumbprint?
19.21 Tom: Some deception surely—this cannot be mine doing.
19.22 Edmund: I have heard this protestation before from faithless men.
19.23 Tom: By this hand, I swear I have not touched the letter.
19.24 Edmund: This oath rings hollow to mine ear.
19.25 Tom: Master, consider—what temptation could this venture offer me?
19.26 Edmund: Thirty pounds in Spanish gold lay in this chest.
19.27 Tom: And doth this sum remain intact?
19.28 Edmund: Count for thyself—this is what I find: twenty and three.
19.29 Tom: Then this accusation falls justly upon my head.
19.30 Edmund: Confession brings relief—this day marks thy last in my employ.
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Demonstrative Progression in Dramatic Interrogation
This dialogue illustrates how this builds accusatory momentum in Elizabethan prose. Edmund deploys this repeatedly to confront Tom with physical evidence: this letter, this seal, this chest, this sum. Each instance narrows the field of evidence, demanding response.
Period Pronunciation Featured:
The dialogue showcases numerous -tion/-sion endings with period pronunciation: -
occupation /ˌɔk.juː.ˈpeɪ.tɪ.ɔn/ -
provision /prɔ.ˈvɪ.zɪ.ɔn/ -
communication /kɔ.ˌmjuː.nɪ.ˈkeɪ.tɪ.ɔn/ -
deception /dɪ.ˈsɛp.tɪ.ɔn/ -
protestation /ˌprɔt.ɛ.ˈsteɪ.tɪ.ɔn/ -
temptation /tɛmp.ˈteɪ.tɪ.ɔn/ -
confession /kɔn.ˈfɛ.sjɔn/ -
accusation /ˌæk.juː.ˈzeɪ.tɪ.ɔn/
Oath Formula
Tom’s “By this hand” (19.23) exemplifies the oath construction discussed in Section D. The speaker invokes a visible part of his own body as surety for his words. In theatrical performance, the actor would raise or gesture toward his hand while speaking.
Address Forms
The dialogue demonstrates status hierarchy through address: -
Tom addresses Edmund as “master” and “sir” -
Edmund uses familiar thy/thyself to Tom, indicating superior status -
Tom’s shift from denial to confession follows the dramatic arc of many Elizabethan confrontation scenes
Temporal “This Day”
Edmund’s final line—”this day marks thy last”—uses the characteristic Elizabethan temporal construction where this day means “today.” The phrase carries greater weight than modern “today,” emphasizing the present moment as a turning point.
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The Topic Word: -
this /ðɪs/ — stable across the Early Modern period
Key Period Features Demonstrated in This Lesson:
-tion Endings: Pronounced /tɪ.ɔn/ or /sjɔn/, not modern /ʃən/ -
nation /ˈneɪ.tɪ.ɔn/ -
passion /ˈpæ.sjɔn/ -
action /ˈæk.tɪ.ɔn/ -
proposition /ˌprɔp.ɔ.ˈzɪ.tɪ.ɔn/ -
accusation /ˌæk.juː.ˈzeɪ.tɪ.ɔn/ -
occupation /ˌɔk.juː.ˈpeɪ.tɪ.ɔn/
-sion Endings: Pronounced /zɪ.ɔn/, not modern /ʒən/ -
division /dɪ.ˈvɪ.zɪ.ɔn/ -
provision /prɔ.ˈvɪ.zɪ.ɔn/ -
confession /kɔn.ˈfɛ.sjɔn/
Initial Clusters: -
know /knoː/ — initial /kn/ pronounced -
write /wriːt/ — initial /wr/ pronounced
Wh- Words: -
what /hwɔt/ — aspirated /hw/ -
where /hwɛːr/ — aspirated /hw/
Past Tense -ed: -
remembered /rɪ.ˈmɛm.bɛr.ɛd/ — syllabic ending -
betrayed /bɪ.ˈtreɪ.ɛd/ — syllabic ending -
attended /ə.ˈtɛnd.ɛd/ — syllabic ending
Common Pronunciation Errors for Modern Speakers:
AVOID: Pronouncing nation as /ˈneɪ.ʃən/ USE: /ˈneɪ.tɪ.ɔn/ with two clear syllables in the ending
AVOID: Dropping initial /k/ in know USE: /knoː/ with audible velar stop
AVOID: Pronouncing what as /wɔt/ USE: /hwɔt/ with initial aspiration
AVOID: Swallowing syllabic -ed endings USE: Distinct syllable for past tense markers in formal contexts
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The Latinum Institute has provided language learning materials for autodidact students since 2006. Our courses employ the construed text method, presenting interlinear glosses that make grammatical structure immediately visible without requiring prior memorization.
Why Elizabethan English?
The language of Shakespeare, Marlowe, Jonson, and the King James Bible remains central to English literary heritage. Yet many modern readers struggle with unfamiliar vocabulary, archaic grammar, and pronunciation conventions that differ from contemporary speech. This course bridges that gap through systematic exposure to Early Modern English patterns.
The Construed Text Advantage
Traditional translation obscures grammatical relationships. Our interlinear format preserves word order while providing granular glosses, allowing your brain to absorb patterns directly. Each word receives its own gloss with pronunciation guidance, eliminating guesswork.
Period Pronunciation
Unlike most courses that treat Shakespeare as printed text, we emphasize the sound of Early Modern English. The plays were written for actors’ voices, not silent reading. Understanding period pronunciation—the syllabic -tion endings, the aspirated wh-, the pronounced initial consonant clusters—restores the rhythms Shakespeare’s audiences heard.
Course Index:
https://latinum.substack.com/p/index
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Lesson 19 complete. This lesson covered the proximal demonstrative “this” with 30 examples demonstrating period-appropriate usage and pronunciation.
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