[Lexicog] archaic entries

[Andrew Dalby]

I'm agreeing, I think, with John Roberts: Obsolete and archaic are
slightly different concepts (to judge by the dictionaries quoted, and
others known to me).

Obsolete -- no longer in use. In a current corpus you won't find
these, but if you include older records you will.

Dated or obsolescent -- in use probably by older speakers. May still
occur in a current corpus, but, in a dictionary compiled a generation
hence, is likely to be labelled 'obsolete'.

Archaic -- still in use (and potentially still in a current corpus)
but when referring to or evoking the past. Yes, as already said in
this thread, such a word may well occur in poetic or religious
language, and in history if there is a written history. 





 
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