Opening line

[mike thomas]

Sampson says: Gregory: A my word wee'l not carry coales....

It seems that most editors change it to

Gregory: O' my word wee'l not carry coales....

How on earth does A become O?

anyone ?

[MystyrMystyry]

Ppppphhhttt!

[MystyrMystyry]

Sorry

I have collected Shakespeares with attributed plays that have since become unnattributed

Bigger question I think...


Anyway 'A' doesn't make sense

[Beewulf]

Sampson says: Gregory: A my word wee'l not carry coales....

It seems that most editors change it to

Gregory: O' my word wee'l not carry coales....

How on earth does A become O?

anyone ?

Gregory is a common working man, low on the play's social scale, and Shakespeare probably is having him use the colloquial, abbreviated speech of London's working class. According to the Oxford English dictionary, in Shakespeare's day, "A" could function as a shortened version of the word "on" when it was was part of a prepositional phrase like "On my word" --a common oath.

Nowadays, editors figure that modern readers are more likely to understand Gregory if the "A" is changed to "O" because it suggest the word "On" better than "A" does.

[xman]

Originally Posted by mike thomas
How on earth does A become O?Nowadays, editors figure that modern readers are more likely to understand Gregory if the "A" is changed to "O" because it suggest the word "On" better than "A" does.
I must challenge this.

Q2-4* all read 'on', F reads 'A' and Q1 reads 'of'. Edward Capelle is responsible for the change to ' 'O ' in his 18th century editions of Shakespeare's Works. Capelle's change has persisted for centuries.

But Q2 is considered authoritative due to being the first full printing of the play. I'm pleased that, nowadays editors have begun going back to the Elizabethan source. Modern readers should find it pleasant as well.

*Q1 through Q4 refer to the first published prints of the play in Quarto format
F refers to post mortem, collected works printings in Folio format