Quote:
Originally Posted by FizzyWater
I agree with Jellby. Part of the charm for me in reading classics is seeing how language has changed over the years. Of course, it depends on the purpose of your version of the book. If you're trying to make one more "accessible" for modern readers it might be worth upgrading the term.
I have a friend who has a horse - I can ask her if "bait" is common usage for "feed-and-water" today, if you like.
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Yes please, I'd really appreciated you asking your friend and letting me know.
It's not so much making the book 'accessible,' though I think that's a worthy aim. It's more that I'm reluctant to pretend Dickens and Collins are saying something that they clearly didn't intend.
Whether the 'feed and water' meaning can be found in the right dictionary or not, what comes across on first reading for us is different from what they meant.