quoth

[birdeen's call]

I met this word here (the second definition). I checked the meaning, but I still don't get this usage. Can you explain it to me?

 

[konungursvia]

Quoth or meh? If the latter, it's an interjection. So it has no syntactical relation to other parts of speech.

 

[birdeen's call]

I meant "quoth". I don't get why it's used there.

I know it means "said", but "said" doesn't fit in there either in my opinion. And why use an archaic word in such a context? I don't get it at all.

 

[konungursvia]

Oh I see. It's fairly common to use archaisms playfully, especially when in doubt. It's a way of being less stubborn. Example: methinks.

 

[birdeen's call]

Oh I see. It's fairly common to use archaisms playfully, especially when in doubt. It's a way of being less stubborn. Example: methinks.

Thanks!

Could you explain to me what "in doubt" means in your sentence? I don't understand what doubt you're talking about.

I still can't get the use of "quoth" there. Even if I put "said" in its place I still have a problem with understanding it... It looks as if they wanted to quote something, but I don't understand why.

 

[konungursvia]

Well if you want to seem like a know-it-all, a Besserwisser, or conceited, you don't care about seeming modest or showing uncertainty, but if you want ordinary people to tolerate your incredible genius, you have to show some degree of doubt even if you're sure, from time to time. Archaisms can be playful enough to serve this function.

 

[birdeen's call]

Thanks, I think I got it!

 

[BobK]

Oh I see. It's fairly common to use archaisms playfully, especially when in doubt. It's a way of being less stubborn. Example: methinks.

... and often with an inadequate grasp of the grammar as it affects surrounding words: "quoth me" may be playful, but it's also wrong.

b

 

[konungursvia]

Yes, that's probably one of the playful things about it. It's not even used correctly. I believe that's the third person conjugation used. Good point Bob.

 

[BobK]

I imagine it's due to a false analogy with 'quoth he' and 'quoth she'.

b

 

[Tullia]

... and often with an inadequate grasp of the grammar as it affects surrounding words: "quoth me" may be playful, but it's also wrong.

b

I imagine it's due to a false analogy with 'quoth he' and 'quoth she'.

b

Hmmm, it's certainly grammatically incorrect but I think that looking at the source of the text in question might explain why it's "me" instead of "I".

Urban Dictionary's contributors tend to use a lot of internet/technological slang.

I've noticed recently a trend of "me" instead of "I" especially among younger people who spend a lot of time online, and have traced it back to a couple of chat programmes, most noticeably perhaps Skype, where the person speaking can type "/me" followed by an action and the programme will convert it into the format "Username does x action" - so typing "/me hits you with a trout" would appear in the programme as "Tullia hits you with a trout". I assume this function was designed as a timesaver for those with very long usernames, or usernames with odd symbols in.

It's becoming something I've seen people do on forums now too, even though the function isn't there to convert the text as it is in the chat programmes.


An alternative explanation [and possibly simpler] is that "quoth" was just a typo for "quote". As in "quote me", which makes some form of sense in the context I think, and seems more likely than over-complex attempts to interpret it as an ironic archaism.

 

[BobK]

Hmmm, it's certainly grammatically incorrect but I think that looking at the source of the text in question might explain why it's "me" instead of "I".

Urban Dictionary's contributors tend to use a lot of internet/technological slang.

I've noticed recently a trend of "me" instead of "I" especially among younger people who spend a lot of time online, and have traced it back to a couple of chat programmes, most noticeably perhaps Skype, where the person speaking can type "/me" followed by an action and the programme will convert it into the format "Username does x action" - so typing "/me hits you with a trout" would appear in the programme as "Tullia hits you with a trout". I assume this function was designed as a timesaver for those with very long usernames, or usernames with odd symbols in.

It's becoming something I've seen people do on forums now too, even though the function isn't there to convert the text as it is in the chat programmes.


An alternative explanation [and possibly simpler] is that "quoth" was just a typo for "quote". As in "quote me", which makes some form of sense in the context I think, and seems more likely than over-complex attempts to interpret it as an ironic archaism.

:up: :hi: I think your first idea sounds reasonable, but I don't think our attempts are over-complex. Is it likely to be 'quote me'? He's writing on a public site having signed (in the Ts and Cs of the site - acceptance of which is implied by submission of text) a waiver of his copyright; of course people will quote him if they want to (not that anyone's likely to want to). Besides, people often use the tag-line 'and you can quote me on that' after they've said something contentious. But what he's said isn't remotely contentious; and I've never seen 'you can quote me on that' abbreviated in this way.

b

 

[birdeen's call]

I believe the typo theory is weaker. I think it's highly unlikely to mistype "quote" as "quoth". Of course it could happen, but then I agree with BobK, that it's unlikely that someone said "quote me" in this context...