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Welcome to Lesson 54 of our Elizabethan English course for modern autodidact students. Today’s topic word from the frequency curriculum is also, an adverb expressing addition, inclusion, or emphatic confirmation. In Shakespeare’s era, also functioned much as it does today, adding supplementary information or emphasizing that an additional element shares some quality or action with what precedes it.
FAQ: What does “also” mean in Elizabethan English?
The word “also” in Early Modern English (c. 1580-1620) carries the same fundamental meaning as in contemporary usage: “in addition,” “likewise,” or “too.” However, Elizabethan authors employed also with greater flexibility in sentence position than modern writers typically allow. Shakespeare and his contemporaries frequently placed also at sentence openings for rhetorical emphasis, in medial positions for subtle connection, and occasionally at clause endings for dramatic effect.
In the fifteen examples that follow, you will encounter also deployed across multiple syntactic positions and semantic contexts. The interlinear glossing provides period-appropriate IPA pronunciation, reflecting the reconstructed Original Pronunciation (OP) of Shakespeare’s London—featuring rhoticity, different vowel qualities, and the distinctive /tjʊn/ pronunciation of “-tion” suffixes rather than modern /ʃən/.
This lesson employs the Latinum Institute’s construed text methodology, making Early Modern English accessible through word-by-word analysis while preserving the authentic character of Elizabethan prose and verse.
Key Takeaways: -
“Also” (/ˈɔːl.soː/) functions as an additive adverb connecting parallel ideas -
Elizabethan English permits greater positional flexibility for “also” than modern usage -
Period pronunciation features include full rhoticity and unreduced vowels -
The word intensifies existing claims while introducing new, related information -
Mastering “also” placement helps decode Shakespeare’s rhetorical structures
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Reconstructed Original Pronunciation (OP) Features:
This course employs the IPA transcriptions based on David Crystal’s reconstructions of Early Modern English as spoken in London around 1600. Key differences from Modern English include:
Rhoticity: All written “r” sounds are pronounced: heart /haɹt/, more /moːɹ/, fair /fɛːɹ/
The “-tion” suffix: Pronounced /tjʊn/ or /sjʊn/, not modern /ʃən/. Thus: nation /ˈneɪ.tjʊn/, action /ˈak.tjʊn/, condition /kənˈdɪ.tjʊn/
TRAP vowel: More open and fronted, closer to /a/ than modern /æ/
STRUT vowel: Not yet shifted to /ʌ/; remains closer to /ʊ/ or /ə/
Long vowels: Often more monophthongal; time /tɛːm/, house /hʊːs/
Medial consonant elision: Common words show reduction: even /iːən/, heaven /hɛən/, devil /diːəl/
Word stress: Generally follows modern patterns but with fuller pronunciation of unstressed syllables
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54.1a The king is wise, and also merciful. 54.1b The (/ðə/) the king (/kɪŋ/) king is (/ɪz/) is wise, (/wɛːz/) wise and (/and/) and also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also merciful (/ˈmɛɹ.sɪ.fʊl/) merciful
54.2a Also remember that death comes to all men. 54.2b Also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also remember (/ɹɪˈmɛm.bəɹ/) remember that (/ðat/) that death (/dɛθ/) death comes (/kʊmz/) comes to (/tʊ/) to all (/ɔːl/) all men (/mɛn/) men
54.3a She doth sing sweetly, and also play upon the lute. 54.3b She (/ʃeː/) she doth (/dʊθ/) does sing (/sɪŋ/) sing sweetly, (/ˈswiːt.lɪ/) sweetly and (/and/) and also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also play (/pleː/) play upon (/ʊˈpɔn/) upon the (/ðə/) the lute (/ljuːt/) lute
54.4a We have also received intelligence from France. 54.4b We (/wiː/) we have (/hav/) have also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also received (/ɹɪˈsiːvd/) received intelligence (/ɪnˈtɛ.lɪ.dʒəns/) intelligence from (/frɔm/) from France (/fɹans/) France
54.5a The villainous plot did also imperil the queen. 54.5b The (/ðə/) the villainous (/ˈvɪ.lən.ʊs/) villainous plot (/plɔt/) plot did (/dɪd/) did-PAST also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also imperil (/ɪmˈpɛ.ɹɪl/) imperil the (/ðə/) the queen (/kwiːn/) queen
54.6a Thy brother also hath sworn allegiance to the crown. 54.6b Thy (/ðɛː/) your-FAM brother (/ˈbɹʊ.ðəɹ/) brother also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also hath (/haθ/) has sworn (/swoːɹn/) sworn allegiance (/əˈliː.dʒəns/) allegiance to (/tʊ/) to the (/ðə/) the crown (/kɹʊːn/) crown
54.7a I am a soldier, and also a gentleman. 54.7b I (/ɛː/) I am (/am/) am a (/ə/) a soldier, (/ˈsoːl.dʒəɹ/) soldier and (/and/) and also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also a (/ə/) a gentleman (/ˈdʒɛn.təl.man/) gentleman
54.8a This potion doth also cure the melancholy humour. 54.8b This (/ðɪs/) this potion (/ˈpoː.tjʊn/) potion doth (/dʊθ/) does also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also cure (/kjʊːɹ/) cure the (/ðə/) the melancholy (/ˈmɛ.lən.kɔ.lɪ/) melancholy humour (/ˈhjuː.məɹ/) humour
54.9a Also, good madam, consider your reputation. 54.9b Also, (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also good (/gʊːd/) good madam, (/ˈma.dam/) madam consider (/kənˈsɪ.dəɹ/) consider your (/jʊɹ/) your reputation (/ɹɛ.pjʊˈteɪ.tjʊn/) reputation
54.10a The stars do also govern the fates of princes. 54.10b The (/ðə/) the stars (/staɹz/) stars do (/dʊ/) do also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also govern (/ˈgʊ.vəɹn/) govern the (/ðə/) the fates (/feɪts/) fates of (/ɔv/) of princes (/ˈpɹɪn.sɪz/) princes
54.11a Not only the duke, but also his retainers fled. 54.11b Not (/nɔt/) not only (/ˈoːn.lɪ/) only the (/ðə/) the duke, (/djuːk/) duke but (/bʊt/) but also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also his (/hɪz/) his retainers (/ɹɪˈteɪ.nəɹz/) retainers fled (/flɛd/) fled
54.12a Thou art also bound by sacred obligation. 54.12b Thou (/ðʊː/) you-FAM art (/aɹt/) are-2SG also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also bound (/bʊːnd/) bound by (/bɛː/) by sacred (/ˈseɪ.kɹɪd/) sacred obligation (/ɔ.blɪˈgeɪ.tjʊn/) obligation
54.13a The physician did also prescribe rest and quietude. 54.13b The (/ðə/) the physician (/fɪˈzɪ.sjən/) physician did (/dɪd/) did-PAST also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also prescribe (/pɹɪˈskɹɛːb/) prescribe rest (/ɹɛst/) rest and (/and/) and quietude (/ˈkwɛː.ɪ.tjuːd/) quietude
54.14a Also worthy of note is his prodigious learning. 54.14b Also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also worthy (/ˈwɜɹ.ðɪ/) worthy of (/ɔv/) of note (/noːt/) note is (/ɪz/) is his (/hɪz/) his prodigious (/pɹəˈdɪ.dʒəs/) prodigious learning (/ˈlɛɹ.nɪŋ/) learning
54.15a The nation doth also suffer under this tyranny. 54.15b The (/ðə/) the nation (/ˈneɪ.tjʊn/) nation doth (/dʊθ/) does also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also suffer (/ˈsʊ.fəɹ/) suffer under (/ˈʊn.dəɹ/) under this (/ðɪs/) this tyranny (/ˈtɪ.ɹə.nɪ/) tyranny
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54.1 The king is wise, and also merciful. “The king possesses wisdom, and mercy in addition.”
54.2 Also remember that death comes to all men. “Furthermore, bear in mind that mortality awaits every person.”
54.3 She doth sing sweetly, and also play upon the lute. “She sings with sweetness, and additionally performs upon the lute.”
54.4 We have also received intelligence from France. “We have likewise obtained information from France.”
54.5 The villainous plot did also imperil the queen. “The wicked conspiracy additionally endangered the queen.”
54.6 Thy brother also hath sworn allegiance to the crown. “Your brother has likewise pledged loyalty to the monarchy.”
54.7 I am a soldier, and also a gentleman. “I serve as a soldier, and am additionally a man of gentle birth.”
54.8 This potion doth also cure the melancholy humour. “This remedy additionally treats the condition of melancholy.”
54.9 Also, good madam, consider your reputation. “Furthermore, good lady, give thought to your standing.”
54.10 The stars do also govern the fates of princes. “The celestial bodies likewise rule over the destinies of royalty.”
54.11 Not only the duke, but also his retainers fled. “The duke fled, and his servants did so in addition.”
54.12 Thou art also bound by sacred obligation. “You are likewise constrained by holy duty.”
54.13 The physician did also prescribe rest and quietude. “The doctor additionally recommended repose and tranquility.”
54.14 Also worthy of note is his prodigious learning. “His remarkable scholarship is likewise deserving of attention.”
54.15 The nation doth also suffer under this tyranny. “The country likewise endures hardship beneath this despotism.”
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54.1 The king is wise, and also merciful.
54.2 Also remember that death comes to all men.
54.3 She doth sing sweetly, and also play upon the lute.
54.4 We have also received intelligence from France.
54.5 The villainous plot did also imperil the queen.
54.6 Thy brother also hath sworn allegiance to the crown.
54.7 I am a soldier, and also a gentleman.
54.8 This potion doth also cure the melancholy humour.
54.9 Also, good madam, consider your reputation.
54.10 The stars do also govern the fates of princes.
54.11 Not only the duke, but also his retainers fled.
54.12 Thou art also bound by sacred obligation.
54.13 The physician did also prescribe rest and quietude.
54.14 Also worthy of note is his prodigious learning.
54.15 The nation doth also suffer under this tyranny.
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These are the grammar rules for “also” in Elizabethan English:
Basic Function: Also serves as an additive adverb, signaling that the information following it supplements or parallels previously stated material. It operates at both sentence and clause levels, connecting ideas through addition rather than contrast.
Positional Flexibility:
Elizabethan English permits also in positions that modern standard English would consider awkward or archaic:
Sentence-initial position: “Also remember that death comes to all men.” This emphatic placement, common in Shakespeare, draws attention to the additive relationship before the main content. Modern usage prefers “Also, remember...” with a comma, or mid-sentence placement.
Pre-verbal medial position: “The stars do also govern the fates of princes.” Elizabethan writers frequently inserted also between auxiliary and main verbs, a position that survives in formal modern English but sounds stilted in casual speech.
Post-subject medial position: “Thy brother also hath sworn allegiance.” Here also immediately follows the subject, emphasizing who performs the parallel action.
Conjunctive pairing: “Not only... but also” remains unchanged from Elizabethan to modern usage, providing balanced emphasis on both elements.
Auxiliary Verb Patterns:
With “doth/do”: “This potion doth also cure...” The periphrastic “do” construction allows also insertion: [Subject] + [doth/do] + [also] + [main verb]. This pattern emphasizes the additive meaning.
With “hath/have”: “We have also received...” The perfect construction permits also between auxiliary and past participle: [Subject] + [have/hath] + [also] + [past participle].
With “did” (past emphatic): “The villainous plot did also imperil...” The past tense periphrastic allows the same insertion pattern.
The “Doth” Construction:
Shakespeare’s era employed “doth” (/dʊθ/) as the third-person singular present indicative of “do.” When used as an auxiliary with also, the pattern becomes: [Subject] + [doth] + [also] + [bare infinitive]. Example: “The nation doth also suffer.” Modern English would render this: “The nation also suffers” or “The nation does also suffer” (formal).
Second-Person Singular:
With “thou art,” also typically follows immediately: “Thou art also bound.” The singular familiar pronoun “thou” (/ðʊː/) paired with “art” (/aɹt/) maintains agreement. Modern equivalents use “you are also...”
Common Mistakes:
Avoid placing also after the main verb in Elizabethan style. Where modern informal speech might produce “He went also,” Elizabethan usage prefers “He also went” or “He did also go.”
Do not confuse also with eke (meaning “also” or “in addition”). While eke appears in earlier English and some Elizabethan texts, also had become the dominant additive adverb by Shakespeare’s time.
Semantic Scope:
Also can modify different sentence elements depending on position and stress. In “She also sings” (emphasis on she), the meaning is “she, in addition to others, sings.” In “She sings also” (less common in Elizabethan usage), the meaning shifts toward “she sings as an additional activity.”
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Usage in Formal and Informal Registers:
In Elizabethan England, also appeared across all social registers, from royal proclamations to tavern conversation. Court documents and legal instruments employed also extensively to enumerate conditions, rights, and obligations—a practice inherited from Latin legal formulae using etiam (also, even) and item (likewise, also).
Shakespeare deployed also strategically to create effects ranging from the bureaucratic to the deeply personal. In official-sounding speeches, repeated also constructions evoke the cumulative force of legal documentation. In intimate dialogue, a single also can convey emotional resonance: “I am also bound by love.”
Theatrical Considerations:
On the Elizabethan stage, sentence-initial also served a practical function: it signaled to actors (working from cue-scripts containing only their lines and short cues) that their speech connected to preceding material. The emphatic placement helped maintain coherence in rapidly delivered scenes.
The word’s pronunciation (/ˈɔːl.soː/) with its long second vowel provided actors with metrical flexibility in verse passages. Shakespeare occasionally exploited also to complete an iambic pentameter line or to create a feminine ending.
Regional Variations:
While London stage pronunciation serves as the basis for reconstructed Original Pronunciation, audiences in Shakespeare’s Globe represented diverse regional backgrounds. Northern English dialects may have pronounced also with different vowel qualities, and Scottish, Irish, and Welsh audience members brought their own phonological expectations.
The relatively straightforward pronunciation of also made it accessible across dialects—unlike words affected by the ongoing Great Vowel Shift, which created significant regional variation during this period.
Related Expressions:
Elizabethan English offered several synonymous or near-synonymous expressions for also:
Likewise (/ˈlɛːk.wɛːz/): More formal, often introducing parallel clauses Too (/tʊː/): Informal, typically sentence-final in Elizabethan usage Eke (/iːk/): Archaic by 1600, surviving mainly in fixed phrases like “eke out” Moreover (/moːɹˈoː.vəɹ/): Formal transitional adverb for discourse-level addition Furthermore (/ˈfɜɹ.ðəɹ.moːɹ/): Similar to moreover, with emphatic force In addition (/ɪn əˈdɪ.tjʊn/): Latinate phrasal equivalent, formal register
The “-tion” Suffix in Period Speech:
As noted in the pronunciation guide, words ending in “-tion” retained a distinct /tjʊn/ quality in Elizabethan London English. This affects many words that commonly pair with also in formal discourse: nation (/ˈneɪ.tjʊn/), obligation (/ɔ.blɪˈgeɪ.tjʊn/), reputation (/ɹɛ.pjʊˈteɪ.tjʊn/), potion (/ˈpoː.tjʊn/).
When reading aloud, maintaining this pronunciation helps preserve the soundscape of Shakespeare’s language and reveals rhymes that modern pronunciation obscures.
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From William Shakespeare’s The Merchant of Venice (c. 1596-1599), Act III, Scene 1:
Shylock’s speech on common humanity demonstrates also in its full rhetorical power, establishing parallel structures between Christian and Jewish experience.
F-A: Interlinear Construed Text
Hath (/haθ/) has not (/nɔt/) not a (/ə/) a Jew (/dʒuː/) Jew eyes? (/ɛːz/) eyes Hath (/haθ/) has not (/nɔt/) not a (/ə/) a Jew (/dʒuː/) Jew hands, (/handz/) hands organs, (/ˈɔɹ.gənz/) organs dimensions, (/dɪˈmɛn.tjʊnz/) dimensions senses, (/ˈsɛn.sɪz/) senses affections, (/əˈfɛk.tjʊnz/) affections passions? (/ˈpa.tjʊnz/) passions
Fed (/fɛd/) fed with (/wɪð/) with the (/ðə/) the same (/seɪm/) same food, (/fʊːd/) food hurt (/hɜɹt/) hurt with (/wɪð/) with the (/ðə/) the same (/seɪm/) same weapons, (/ˈwɛ.pənz/) weapons subject (/ˈsʊb.dʒɛkt/) subject to (/tʊ/) to the (/ðə/) the same (/seɪm/) same diseases, (/dɪˈziː.zɪz/) diseases healed (/hiːld/) healed by (/bɛː/) by the (/ðə/) the same (/seɪm/) same means, (/miːnz/) means warmed (/wɔɹmd/) warmed and (/and/) and cooled (/kuːld/) cooled by (/bɛː/) by the (/ðə/) the same (/seɪm/) same winter (/ˈwɪn.təɹ/) winter and (/and/) and summer, (/ˈsʊ.məɹ/) summer as (/az/) as a (/ə/) a Christian (/ˈkɹɪs.tjən/) Christian is? (/ɪz/) is
If (/ɪf/) if you (/jʊ/) you prick (/pɹɪk/) prick us, (/ʊs/) us do (/dʊ/) do we (/wiː/) we not (/nɔt/) not bleed? (/bliːd/) bleed If (/ɪf/) if you (/jʊ/) you tickle (/ˈtɪ.kəl/) tickle us, (/ʊs/) us do (/dʊ/) do we (/wiː/) we not (/nɔt/) not laugh? (/laf/) laugh If (/ɪf/) if you (/jʊ/) you poison (/ˈpɔɪ.zən/) poison us, (/ʊs/) us do (/dʊ/) do we (/wiː/) we not (/nɔt/) not die? (/dɛː/) die And (/and/) and if (/ɪf/) if you (/jʊ/) you wrong (/ɹɔŋ/) wrong us, (/ʊs/) us shall (/ʃal/) shall we (/wiː/) we not (/nɔt/) not revenge? (/ɹɪˈvɛndʒ/) revenge
If (/ɪf/) if we (/wiː/) we are (/aɹ/) are like (/lɛːk/) like you (/jʊ/) you in (/ɪn/) in the (/ðə/) the rest, (/ɹɛst/) rest we (/wiː/) we will (/wɪl/) will resemble (/ɹɪˈzɛm.bəl/) resemble you (/jʊ/) you in (/ɪn/) in that (/ðat/) that also. (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also
F-B: Authentic Text with Translation
“Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that also.”
Translation: “Does a Jewish person not possess eyes? Does a Jewish person not possess hands, bodily organs, physical form, sensory perception, emotional capacity, and the ability to feel deeply? We consume the same nourishment, suffer from the same injuries, contract the same illnesses, recover through the same treatments, and experience the same seasonal changes as Christians do. If you wound us, do we not shed blood? If you amuse us, do we not express joy? If you administer poison to us, do we not perish? And if you commit injustice against us, will we not seek retribution? If we share all these other qualities with you, we will share that characteristic in addition.”
F-C: Authentic Text Only
Hath not a Jew eyes? Hath not a Jew hands, organs, dimensions, senses, affections, passions? Fed with the same food, hurt with the same weapons, subject to the same diseases, healed by the same means, warmed and cooled by the same winter and summer, as a Christian is? If you prick us, do we not bleed? If you tickle us, do we not laugh? If you poison us, do we not die? And if you wrong us, shall we not revenge? If we are like you in the rest, we will resemble you in that also.
F-D: Grammar and Vocabulary Notes
This passage deploys also at its rhetorical climax, completing the logical argument that shared humanity implies shared reactions—including vengeance. The word appears sentence-finally (”in that also”), a position that Elizabethan English allowed for emphatic closure but that modern usage typically avoids.
Key grammatical features:
The repeated “Hath not” construction uses inverted word order for rhetorical questions, a structure Shakespeare employs to create cumulative force. Modern English would use “Doesn’t a Jew have...”
“Dimensions” (/dɪˈmɛn.tjʊnz/) and “affections” (/əˈfɛk.tjʊnz/) demonstrate the period pronunciation of the “-tion” suffix.
“As a Christian is” uses ellipsis: the full form would be “as a Christian is [fed, hurt, subject, healed, warmed, cooled].”
The climactic “in that also” places the topic word in emphatic final position, unusual even for Elizabethan usage. Shakespeare reserves this placement for moments of heightened significance.
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A scene of court intrigue in which a counselor advises a young nobleman, employing “also” to build a case for political action.
Genre Part A: Interlinear Construed Text
54.16a Consider also, my lord, the matter of succession. 54.16b Consider (/kənˈsɪ.dəɹ/) consider also, (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also my (/mɛː/) my lord, (/lɔɹd/) lord the (/ðə/) the matter (/ˈma.təɹ/) matter of (/ɔv/) of succession (/sʊkˈsɛ.tjʊn/) succession
54.17a The earl hath also gathered men in the north. 54.17b The (/ðə/) the earl (/ɛːɹl/) earl hath (/haθ/) has also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also gathered (/ˈga.ðəɹd/) gathered men (/mɛn/) men in (/ɪn/) in the (/ðə/) the north (/nɔɹθ/) north
54.18a Also, there are whispers of foreign intervention. 54.18b Also, (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also there (/ðɛːɹ/) there are (/aɹ/) are whispers (/ˈʍɪs.pəɹz/) whispers of (/ɔv/) of foreign (/ˈfɔ.ɹɪn/) foreign intervention (/ɪn.təɹˈvɛn.tjʊn/) intervention
54.19a Your enemies do also multiply at court. 54.19b Your (/jʊɹ/) your enemies (/ˈɛ.nə.mɪz/) enemies do (/dʊ/) do also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also multiply (/ˈmʊl.tɪ.plɛː/) multiply at (/at/) at court (/kɔɹt/) court
54.20a The queen herself doth also look upon you with suspicion. 54.20b The (/ðə/) the queen (/kwiːn/) queen herself (/həɹˈsɛlf/) herself doth (/dʊθ/) does also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also look (/lʊk/) look upon (/ʊˈpɔn/) upon you (/jʊ/) you with (/wɪð/) with suspicion (/sʊˈspɪ.tjʊn/) suspicion
54.21a I have also heard rumour of poison in the wine. 54.21b I (/ɛː/) I have (/hav/) have also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also heard (/hɛːɹd/) heard rumour (/ˈɹuː.məɹ/) rumour of (/ɔv/) of poison (/ˈpɔɪ.zən/) poison in (/ɪn/) in the (/ðə/) the wine (/wɛːn/) wine
54.22a Not only thy purse, but also thy person stands in danger. 54.22b Not (/nɔt/) not only (/ˈoːn.lɪ/) only thy (/ðɛː/) your-FAM purse, (/pɜɹs/) purse but (/bʊt/) but also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also thy (/ðɛː/) your-FAM person (/ˈpɛɹ.sən/) person stands (/standz/) stands in (/ɪn/) in danger (/ˈdeɪn.dʒəɹ/) danger
54.23a Also mark how the ambassador doth flatter thy rival. 54.23b Also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also mark (/maɹk/) mark how (/hʊː/) how the (/ðə/) the ambassador (/amˈba.sə.dəɹ/) ambassador doth (/dʊθ/) does flatter (/ˈfla.təɹ/) flatter thy (/ðɛː/) your-FAM rival (/ˈɹɛː.vəl/) rival
54.24a Thy father did also face such treacherous times. 54.24b Thy (/ðɛː/) your-FAM father (/ˈfa.ðəɹ/) father did (/dɪd/) did-PAST also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also face (/feɪs/) face such (/sʊtʃ/) such treacherous (/ˈtɹɛ.tʃə.ɹəs/) treacherous times (/tɛːmz/) times
54.25a He also trusted those who proved false. 54.25b He (/hiː/) he also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also trusted (/ˈtɹʊs.tɪd/) trusted those (/ðoːz/) those who (/huː/) who proved (/pɹuːvd/) proved false (/fɔls/) false
54.26a Thou must also be prepared to act with resolution. 54.26b Thou (/ðʊː/) you-FAM must (/mʊst/) must also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also be (/biː/) be prepared (/pɹɪˈpɛːɹd/) prepared to (/tʊ/) to act (/akt/) act with (/wɪð/) with resolution (/ɹɛ.zəˈluː.tjʊn/) resolution
54.27a The condition of the realm doth also demand swift decision. 54.27b The (/ðə/) the condition (/kənˈdɪ.tjʊn/) condition of (/ɔv/) of the (/ðə/) the realm (/ɹɛlm/) realm doth (/dʊθ/) does also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also demand (/dɪˈmand/) demand swift (/swɪft/) swift decision (/dɪˈsɪ.zjʊn/) decision
54.28a Also, good my lord, remember that fortune favours the bold. 54.28b Also, (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also good (/gʊːd/) good my (/mɛː/) my lord, (/lɔɹd/) lord remember (/ɹɪˈmɛm.bəɹ/) remember that (/ðat/) that fortune (/ˈfɔɹ.tjʊn/) fortune favours (/ˈfeɪ.vəɹz/) favours the (/ðə/) the bold (/boːld/) bold
54.29a Your honour also hangs upon this action. 54.29b Your (/jʊɹ/) your honour (/ˈɔ.nəɹ/) honour also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also hangs (/haŋz/) hangs upon (/ʊˈpɔn/) upon this (/ðɪs/) this action (/ˈak.tjʊn/) action
54.30a Fail not, and also prevail in all thy undertakings. 54.30b Fail (/feɪl/) fail not, (/nɔt/) not and (/and/) and also (/ˈɔːl.soː/) also prevail (/pɹɪˈveɪl/) prevail in (/ɪn/) in all (/ɔːl/) all thy (/ðɛː/) your-FAM undertakings (/ˈʊn.dəɹ.teɪ.kɪŋz/) undertakings
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Genre Part B: Natural Sentences
54.16 Consider also, my lord, the matter of succession. “Give thought as well, my lord, to the question of who shall inherit.”
54.17 The earl hath also gathered men in the north. “The earl has likewise assembled forces in the northern territories.”
54.18 Also, there are whispers of foreign intervention. “Furthermore, rumours circulate regarding interference from abroad.”
54.19 Your enemies do also multiply at court. “Your adversaries are likewise increasing in number at the royal court.”
54.20 The queen herself doth also look upon you with suspicion. “The queen herself additionally regards you with distrust.”
54.21 I have also heard rumour of poison in the wine. “I have likewise received word of toxic substance in the wine.”
54.22 Not only thy purse, but also thy person stands in danger. “Your wealth faces threat, and your very life does in addition.”
54.23 Also mark how the ambassador doth flatter thy rival. “Furthermore, observe how the ambassador pays court to your competitor.”
54.24 Thy father did also face such treacherous times. “Your father likewise confronted such periods of betrayal.”
54.25 He also trusted those who proved false. “He likewise placed faith in those who turned out to be deceivers.”
54.26 Thou must also be prepared to act with resolution. “You must likewise stand ready to proceed with firm determination.”
54.27 The condition of the realm doth also demand swift decision. “The state of the kingdom likewise requires rapid judgement.”
54.28 Also, good my lord, remember that fortune favours the bold. “Furthermore, worthy lord, bear in mind that luck aids the courageous.”
54.29 Your honour also hangs upon this action. “Your reputation likewise depends upon this course of conduct.”
54.30 Fail not, and also prevail in all thy undertakings. “Do not falter, and additionally triumph in all your endeavours.”
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Genre Part C: Elizabethan English Text Only
54.16 Consider also, my lord, the matter of succession.
54.17 The earl hath also gathered men in the north.
54.18 Also, there are whispers of foreign intervention.
54.19 Your enemies do also multiply at court.
54.20 The queen herself doth also look upon you with suspicion.
54.21 I have also heard rumour of poison in the wine.
54.22 Not only thy purse, but also thy person stands in danger.
54.23 Also mark how the ambassador doth flatter thy rival.
54.24 Thy father did also face such treacherous times.
54.25 He also trusted those who proved false.
54.26 Thou must also be prepared to act with resolution.
54.27 The condition of the realm doth also demand swift decision.
54.28 Also, good my lord, remember that fortune favours the bold.
54.29 Your honour also hangs upon this action.
54.30 Fail not, and also prevail in all thy undertakings.
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Genre Part D: Grammar Notes for Theatrical Dialogue
This dialogue demonstrates the characteristic Elizabethan device of using also to build cumulative rhetorical pressure. The counselor employs the word fifteen times across different syntactic positions, creating a sense of mounting concern that mirrors the accumulating threats described.
Patterns observed:
Sentence-initial “Also” (54.18, 54.23, 54.28): Used to introduce new topics while maintaining connection to prior points. The comma following creates a brief pause for emphasis.
Medial “also” with auxiliaries (54.17, 54.19, 54.20, 54.21, 54.24, 54.26, 54.27): The most common Elizabethan position, inserting also between helping verb and main verb.
Post-subject “also” (54.25, 54.29): Immediately following the subject for emphasis on who performs the parallel action.
“Not only... but also” (54.22): The balanced correlative construction, unchanged from Shakespeare’s day to ours.
Final “also” in coordination (54.30): “And also” linking two imperatives for emphatic closure.
Period vocabulary notes:
“Succession” (/sʊkˈsɛ.tjʊn/), “intervention” (/ɪn.təɹˈvɛn.tjʊn/), “suspicion” (/sʊˈspɪ.tjʊn/), “resolution” (/ɹɛ.zəˈluː.tjʊn/), “condition” (/kənˈdɪ.tjʊn/), “decision” (/dɪˈsɪ.zjʊn/), “fortune” (/ˈfɔɹ.tjʊn/), and “action” (/ˈak.tjʊn/) all demonstrate the period pronunciation of “-tion” as /tjʊn/ rather than modern /ʃən/.
“Thy” and “thou” mark the counselor’s familiar relationship with the young lord—appropriate for an older advisor addressing a younger superior in intimate counsel.
“Good my lord” inverts the expected “my good lord” for stylistic variation, a common Elizabethan device.
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Key words from this lesson with period IPA:
also /ˈɔːl.soː/ nation /ˈneɪ.tjʊn/ potion /ˈpoː.tjʊn/ obligation /ɔ.blɪˈgeɪ.tjʊn/ reputation /ɹɛ.pjʊˈteɪ.tjʊn/ succession /sʊkˈsɛ.tjʊn/ intervention /ɪn.təɹˈvɛn.tjʊn/ suspicion /sʊˈspɪ.tjʊn/ resolution /ɹɛ.zəˈluː.tjʊn/ condition /kənˈdɪ.tjʊn/ decision /dɪˈsɪ.zjʊn/ fortune /ˈfɔɹ.tjʊn/ action /ˈak.tjʊn/ physician /fɪˈzɪ.sjən/ dimension /dɪˈmɛn.tjʊn/ affection /əˈfɛk.tjʊn/ passion /ˈpa.tjʊn/
Common pronunciation errors for modern speakers:
Dropping the /ɹ/ in words like “heart,” “lord,” “north” — maintain full rhoticity Pronouncing “-tion” as /ʃən/ instead of /tjʊn/ Using modern /ʌ/ in words like “come,” “done” — use /ʊ/ Reducing unstressed syllables too much — Elizabethan speech gave fuller value to unstressed vowels Missing the /w/ sound in “wh-” words — “whisper” was /ˈʍɪs.pəɹ/ with initial voiceless labial-velar fricative
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This Elizabethan English course is produced by the Latinum Institute, creating language learning materials since 2006. Our methodology, refined over nearly two decades, employs construed interlinear text to make historical varieties of English accessible to modern autodidact learners.
The Construed Text Approach:
The interlinear glossing method places a word-by-word breakdown directly beneath or alongside the target text, allowing learners to process meaning at the atomic level before synthesizing complete sentences. This technique, adapted from classical philology, proves especially valuable for historical language study where pronunciation, vocabulary, and grammar differ significantly from modern norms.
Why Study Elizabethan English?
Understanding Shakespeare’s language in its original phonological context transforms the experience of reading and hearing Early Modern drama. Rhymes, puns, and metrical patterns that seem imperfect in modern pronunciation resolve beautifully when articulated according to period norms. The “-tion” suffix provides a striking example: words like “nation” and “fashion” rhymed with “on” when pronounced /ˈneɪ.tjʊn/ and /ˈfa.tjʊn/.
Beyond theatrical appreciation, Elizabethan English competency opens access to the vast literature of the English Renaissance: not only Shakespeare but Marlowe, Jonson, Donne, Spenser, Sidney, and the translators of the King James Bible (1611).
Course Structure:
This frequency-based curriculum proceeds through the 1000 most common English words, examining each in its Elizabethan context. Each self-contained lesson provides thirty examples (fifteen main, fifteen genre-based) with complete interlinear analysis, ensuring that learners at any level can extract meaning from authentic historical English.
Further Resources:
Course Index: https://latinum.substack.com/p/index Reviews: https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/latinum.org.uk
For Original Pronunciation resources, we recommend David Crystal’s Oxford Dictionary of Original Shakespearean Pronunciation (2016) and the recordings available through the British Library and Shakespeare’s Globe.
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✓ Lesson 54 Elizabethan English complete
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