I think a lot about word choice and language use during era I'm writing and my goal is to be as accurate as possible. That often means trips to Google Ngram and the Online Etymology Dictionary to see if certain words were in use, and in use the way I need them to be in 1811-1813.
—see my post about using n grams here
Of course, readability trumps accuracy, and no word choice should ever hurt a modern reader. I'll use a modern term before I offend someone, no matter how accurate it might have been in Austen's day.
Phrases and expressions are also things that can sound modern to us when they've actually been in use for a long time. I could do an entire post on naval terms that have found their way into everyday English expressions.
But here are a few phrases that might seem modern or too casual for regency-set fiction but were actually in use when Austen was writing. The first two are from her own works.
Do you have a few wrinkles that have settled in the corners of your eyes? Most of us would call those crow's feet, and so would Sir Walter Elliot in Persuasion. While he's certain that he and daughter Elizabeth are as youthful as ever, he's certain that others are not aging as well:
"...for he could plainly see how old all the rest of his family and acquaintance were growing. Anne haggard, Mary coarse, every face in the neighbourhood worsting, and the rapid increase of crow's foot about Lady Russell's temples had long been a distress to him."
Real nice, Sir Walter
If you read about a character waiting for a storm to blow over, would you think that was a modern expression? In Pride and Prejudice, the Collinses flee Hunsford when Lady Catherine learns about the upcoming marriage of her nephew and Elizabeth Bennet.
Lady Catherine had been rendered so exceedingly angry by the contents of her nephew's letter, that Charlotte, really rejoicing in the match, was anxious to get away till the storm was blown over.
How long do you think they had to hide out at Lucas Lodge?
In my current WIP, I had Elizabeth realizing that she was going to have to be on good terms with that rude Mr. Darcy in order to stay friendly with his sister Georgiana. I wanted to have her use the phrase break the ice. I never looked up this one, but Austen has Lucy Steele use it when she confronts her rival Elinor, so I figured it was okay.
Here's how I use it in my latest work in progress:
She leant forward to look at Georgiana on the other side of him. She was a sweet girl, and Elizabeth wanted their friendship to continue. The only way that could happen was if she got along with her brother; they must move past his offensive comment. It was clear that she must be the one to break the ice. While he was not timid like his sister, he was not a forthcoming, friendly man.
She disliked having to speak to one so unpleasant, but Georgiana’s friendship was worth the trial.
In the same project, I wanted to use the phrase beg off, and I used it as a placeholder until I could find something more era-appropriate. But I liked how it fit and went to look it up to see how far off I was. Often, I'm setting a book in 1811 and the word or phrase is first in use not very long after, I keep it in. After all, words are in use for far longer before they find their way into a printed record we can verify today. Here's how I wanted to use it:
On Friday morning, Darcy collected his sister and Mrs Younge and they made the short walk to Mrs Bennet’s lodgings for the planned excursion to Pegwell’s Bay. However, when they arrived, Mrs Bennet begged off.
“I am not much of a walker, and I have been unwell, you know,” she said from the sofa, looking as robust as she had Wednesday evening. “But Mrs Younge will be with you, and Mr Darcy, too. Have a pleasant time, girls.”
Darcy thought Mrs Bennet was perfectly capable of pedestrian activities—it was only a mile and a half—but kept his silence.
It turned out that my phrase can stay! According to the Online Etymology Dictionary, to beg off (something), as in to obtain release from by entreaty, is from 1741.
When you're reading historical fiction and stumble across some words or a phrase that sound modern, what do you do? Do you assume it's wrong? Do you think it was the author's choice for clarity? Do you look it up yourself to check?
Let me know if you want to see more regency words and phrases that sound modern. You can see my previous posts with other examples here:
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