The Language of the Book of Common Prayer

by Stella Eric Ed BROOK

A thorough study of the language of the Book of Common Prayer and its revisions, its vocabulary, grammar and usage, comparing it with both the Authorized Version of the Bible and with 20th-century English

232 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1965

Reviews

[^ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Notwithstanding the considerable quantity and quality of research within this book, it was a pleasure to find such a very readable text. Dr Brook’s book is a valuable addition to the bookshelf of anyone who loves, and has an interest in, the English language; because of the core importance of the linguistic contributions made by three (1549, 1552, and 1662) of the five editions of The Book of Common Prayer, in conjunction with the King James (‘Authorised’) Bible of 1611.

For some while now, I’ve been of the opinion that the Second Collect in Evening Prayer sounds awkward, but I’d given up wondering why. Dr Brook helpfully explains (pg 135) that this clumsiness is due to “The appearance of anacoluthon, …” ‘Oh help,” I thought. “What on earth’s that?” I need not have become flustered (or reached for the e-dictionary on my Sony e-Reader); because the rest of Dr Brook’s sentence continues, “…or syntactic change of direction in the course of a sentence…” “Ah,” I thought, looking that Collect up in my 1928 (Eng.) Prayer Book; “I learn something new every day!” This book's like that.