#English – Western Heritage Australia

It needn’t be Grimm. Western Folklore in Australia

Posted on 10 July 202128 July 2021 by wha01

In 1854, the eminent folklorist Joseph Jacobs was born in Sydney, New South Wales, though his working life was spent abroad – predominantly in England and the U.S.A. He wished that English speaking children could read tales which had emerged from the folklore of the British Isles, rather than those of the continent made popular by Charles Perrault in the 17th century, and the Grimm Brothers in the first half of the 19th century. Jacobs lamented that Perrault’s genius displayed in Cinderella and Puss in Boots had ousted the English classics of Catskin and Childe Rowland. Likewise, Tom-Tit-Tot had given way to Grimm’s Rumpelstiltschen and The Three Sillies to Hänsel and Gretel.

A Language of an oft Conquered Isle

Posted on 6 June 202128 July 2021 by wha01

A Language of an oft Conquered IsleAuthor: P. Henge. Most languages of the world have well defined structures stemming from a single origin, albeit with a few foreign notes – not unlike a good vintage wine. Yet English, to be sure, is non-vintage, but just as stressed grapes create the best wines, so the tortured […]

Samuel Johnson’s Dictionary

Posted on 13 December 20144 June 2021 by wha01

Dr. Samuel Johnson, creator of the Dictionary of Modern English, would often visit two sisters in 18th-century London – Mrs Digby and Mrs Brooke. On one of these visits, the two ladies were paying Johnson many compliments about his recently published dictionary, particularly commending him for not including any ‘ghastly’ rude words. Johnson responded, “What! my dears! then you have been looking for them?”. Embarrassed, the ladies immediately dropped the subject.