in my stead

[Beverly Flanigan]

Of course, "lieve" or "lief" is also obsolescent, or even obsolete, as is
"quick" in the sense used here--so the last two lines would be virtually
incomprehensible to moderns!  But related to "stead" is "lieu," which is
increasingly misinterpreted; I recently had a student write "in lieu of"
when she clearly meant "with reference to."


At 11:50 PM 8/10/99 -0400, you wrote:
>Recent posting to the List quoted obsolescent usage "in my stead." Reminded
>me and maybe some other List members of old, old recording by Lawrence
>Tibbett (RCA Victor?) of number from The King's Henchman, libretto by Edna
>St. Vincent Millay, music by Deems Taylor? one chorus of which goes
>Oh, Caesar, great wert thou
>And Julius was thy name,
>But I would not stand in thy stead,
>For I'd liever be quick than dead.
>Bernie Kane
>word finder
>