Are these phrases usable in the modern English?

Welcome to ESL Printables, the website where English Language teachers exchange resources: worksheets, lesson plans, activities, etc.
Our collection is growing every day with the help of many teachers. If you want to download you have to send your own contributions.

ESL Forum:

Techniques and methods in Language Teaching

Games, activities and teaching ideas

Grammar and Linguistics

Teaching material

Concerning worksheets

Concerning powerpoints

Concerning online exercises

Make suggestions, report errors

ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > Are these phrases usable in the modern English?

Are these phrases usable in the modern English?

Are these phrases usable in the modern English?

Dear members of the English-speaking community. At the moment I �m listening to "The Song of Ice and Fire" by G.R.R. Martin. I �m nearing the end of the 5th volume, and have a couple of questions:

Would that I could (as "I wish I could")

Much and more (as "a lot")

Little and less (as "very little")

These phrases are very often used in the speech of Martin �s characters.

However, I �ve never heard them in spoken English. How appropriate are they nowadays?Would they sound obsolete if used in my speech?

Thanks in advance!

31 May 2015

yanogator

The first is definitely outdated in the US. The other two might be Martin �s own creation, or they might be British usage, but I �ve never heard of them in the US.

Bruce

31 May 2015

Thanks, Bruce. Looks like the author is really crative in both plots and new vocab :)

2 Jun 2015