Bring Back Old english insults

By Fallon Rosebraugh

Historically, insults were not just expressions of anger– but linguistic performances. In earlier eras of modern English, especially during the Renaissance and Elizabethan eras, insults were richly metaphorical and most of the time highly specific. Instead of calling someone “stupid,” one might call them a “clotpole,” suggesting not just low intelligence, but an awkward, almost sluggish presence. Rather than labeling someone as dramatic or vain, a word like “cox-comb” evoked a particular kind of foolish arrogance, with implications drawn from fashion and social presentation. In a culture where oral expression mattered and public communication was often preformative, the insult had to do more than sting– it had to entertain. In Shakespearean theater, characters delivered insults not only to injure but also to impress the audience. The essential goal was to shame someone and be admired while doing it. For example, in Shakespeare’s Henry IV, the phrase “Thou art a very ragged wart,” is used. Even calling someone “As thick as two short planks,” emphasizes their slowness.