Page:The Sources of Standard English.djvu/264

Rh until very late times that perspiration replaced in polite speech the English word akin to the Sanscrit swêda, or that belly was thought to be coarser than stomach.

Architecture was another craft in which the clergy took the lead; Alan de Walsingham by no means stood alone. English words were well enough, when a cot or a farm-house was in hand; but for the building of a Castle or a Cathedral, scores of French technical words had to be called in: at Canterbury, William the En&shy;glishman doubtless employed much the same diction as his predecessor, William of Sens. Indeed, the new style of building, brought from France more than a hun&shy;dred years before the time of these worthies, must have unfolded many a new term of art to King Edward's masons at Westminster. In our own day, the great revival of Architecture has led to a wonderful enlarge&shy;ment of diction among the common folk; every work&shy;ing mason now has in his mouth scores of words for the meaning of which learned men forty years ago would have searched in dictionaries.

The Preacher in his religious or secular character was not the only importer of French words. We must now consider three other agents who helped forward the great change — the Lady, the Knight, and the Lawyer.

Paris and Rouen were the oracles of the fair sex. These cities supplied articles of dress, wherewith the ladies decked themselves so gaily as to draw down the