Discovering Historical Spelling: Understanding Solemnize, Parish, and Long ‘S’ in 19th Century Marriage Declarations

In a recent examination of a marriage declaration from early 19th-century England, you encountered words such as 'Folemnise' and 'parifh'. Curious about these words and their spelling, you realized the 'Fs' might be 'Ss'. This article will explore the context and historical background of these words and the fascinating history of the 'long s' in English orthography.

Understanding 'Solemnize'

Solemnize is the word you are most likely referring to in the marriage declaration. To solemnize a marriage means to perform the official ceremony or to make it legally valid. The term has Latin origins, coming from the word 'solemnis', which means 'serious, sacred, or formal'. In a modern context, it is still used to describe the act of making a legal marriage official through a formal ceremony.

Understanding 'Parish'

Parish in historical contexts generally refers to a local church community or the district associated with a particular church. It is the smallest unit of church administration in the Christian tradition and typically encompasses a specific geographic area and its population. Catholicism and the Church of England both use the term 'parish' in their organizational structures.

Spelling Variations: The 'Long S'

The instances of 'F' and 'f' in the words you found are not examples of a different letter, but rather a visual recognition of the historical 'long s', a version of the letter 's' that was commonly used from the 17th to the 18th centuries. The term 'olemnise' (Solemnize) and 'parih' (Parish) would indeed be more accurate if spelt with a long 's'.

The long 's' is recognizable as a lowercase letter that resembles an 'f', but with a tail extending to the left. This design has a distinct shape and was widely used in English and Latin printing until the late 18th century. It often appeared in the middle of words, where the short 's' would normally be used today.

Why the Confusion?

The confusion between the 'long s' and 'f' lowercase is due to the visual similarity, making it easy to mistake the long 's' for an 'f' at first glance. This explains why these words in your marriage declaration might appear as 'Folemnise' and 'parifh'. The long 's' was more common in older manuscripts and printed materials and was sometimes used conservatively well into the 19th century, particularly in place names, religious texts, and official documents.

The Long 's' in Modern Contexts

The transition from the long 's' to the short 's' in English orthography occurred as a standardization of printing styles. The long 's' no longer dominates modern English, but it can still be found in more conservative settings. For example, it was used in documentarian works, legal records, church documents, and titles of old books. The distinction between the capital and lowercase 's' remained relevant even when the long 's' ceased being widely used. The long 's' is always lowercase, while the capital 'S' is always uppercase.

Conclusion

Understanding the historical context of spelling, particularly the 'long s', provides a unique insight into the evolution of the English language. Whether reading through ancient texts or sifting through historical records, these considerations can help clarify the original meaning and interpretation of documents from the past.