Key Seventeenth-century Quaker Lexis

Abstract

This article explores certain key Quaker terms used by George Fox and compares them with how other early Friends used them. It seeks to answer questions about the variety of lexical preference and usage within the Quaker movement and examines Fox’s possible leadership influence in this area. The selection of items under scrutiny is based on two glossaries published to help the general reader understand early modern English or the distinctive Quaker usage of that language. The quantitative analysis has been carried out by using simple tools and techniques available within the discipline of corpus linguistics. The 20 items are grouped into those words or phrases that Fox uses more often than other early Quakers, those words or phrases that other Quakers used more, and a few items that show similar frequency or usage but which reveal new insights because of the innovative approach to the research.