Need translation help.....Shakespeare....?

Question

1) Thou wayward urchin-snouted barnacle!

2) Thou infectious scurvy-valiant mumble-news!

3) Thou art a fusty nut with no kernel!

Thanks!

Answer 1

They're definitely insults. Here's a rough guess at translating into modern American:



1. You shifty, point-nosed parasite!



2. You sick, wishy-washy gossip!



3. You're a dried-up shell without a heart!

Answer 2

They are all terrific examples of Shakespeare's ability to write wonderful insults.



1.) You know what "thou" (you) and "wayward" (out-of-place) mean... and "urchin" is a child, "snouted" refers to a nose, and "barnacle" means this person sticks around, very much sticking (like barnacles on seaside rocks, or on whales)...probably where he/she is unwanted. You think?



2.) "Infectious" (catching a disease) "scurvy" (IS a disease, gotten when you don't ever eat fruit, for example) "valiant" means that the disease is this person's only point of favor, and "mumble-news" I can only think means this person mutters totally unwanted comments on things...



3.) "art" (are) "fusty" (old-fashioned) "nut" (you know that one) --and a "nut with no kernel" is a nut without a brain in his/her head... no redeeming value.



Great insults. You should keep a list of all the ones you find and use them when you like... just as a gentle nudge to friends, to laugh with them over.

Answer 3

Insult #1 is approximately equal to saying "Thou errant rump-fed ratsbane!"



#2 means "Thou crusty botch of nature!"



and #3, of course, just means "Thou art a yeasty clapper-clawed popinjay!"

Answer 4

They are all insults, not too sure what they would mean in today's language though, I'm sure they would be open for interpretation!! Look out for "I bite my thumb at you" in Romeo and Juliet - it basically giving the finger!!

Answer 5

pond scum

diseased rat

useless fossil