A history of the English Language

169.
Methods of Interpreting the
 
New
 
Words.
The difftculty for the reader presented by these new words of many different origins was 
met in various ways. In many cases the context or the reader’s knowledge of Latin was 
expected to make the meaning clear. But the interpretation was not left entirely to chance. 
Explanations were sometimes added parenthetically. When Elyot uses the word 
circumspection
he adds, “whiche signifieth as moche as beholdynge on every parte.” In 
using the word 
magnanimity
he says, “But nowe I remembre me, this worde 
magnanimitie
beinge yet straunge, as late borowed out of the latyne, shall nat content all 
men”; he therefore explains what it means. Again, he says, “
Industrie
hath nat ben so 
longe tyme used in the englisshe tonge…. It is a qualitie procedying of witte and 
experience, by the whiche a man perceyveth quickly, inventeth fresshly, and consayleth 
spedily.” This is not our way of using the word, but he also uses it in the sense of 
diligence in performance. A simpler way, where an equivalent word or expression 
existed, was to combine the new and the old in a self-interpreting pair. Thus he says 
“
animate
or give courage,” “
devulgate
or set forth,” “
explicating
or unfolding,” “
difficile
or hard,” “
education
or bringing up of children,” “
adminiculation
or aid,” “
ostent
or 
show,” “
excerped
or gathered out of,” “
obfuscate
or hid,” and “
celerity,
commonly called 
speediness.” Where no help like this was given, however, many a word must have 
The renaissance, 1500-1650 215

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remained troublesome to ordinary readers. Another means was therefore provided for 
their “adminiculation.”