A weird word

I have just received a verse for quotation with the word "onc" in it. Is this, as I assume, a typo for donc? The relevant lines read: Jamais du mal il n’avait eu l’idée, Ne disait onc un immodest mot.

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Permalink Reply by David Parry on November 9, 2009 at 2:00pm

I have just re-read this and noticed that of course the spelling of "immodeste" is incorrect. Hmm.

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Permalink Reply by Frank on November 9, 2009 at 2:13pm

Hi David,

Yes, it must be a typo for "donc".

However "Jamais du mal il n’avait eu l’idée, Ne disait onc un immodest mot" sounds really weird. The second phrase lacks a subject and the first phrase sounds like Master Yoda speaking :)

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Permalink Reply by David Parry on November 9, 2009 at 2:20pm

Hi Frank! Thanks for confirming what I thought. The lines are part of a whole poem about a parrot from the early 19th century, hence the strange word-order. The subject of the second clause is still "il", i.e. the parrot. I think it is a very bad poem, but it is the basis of a libretto for an Offenbach operetta - which is a very good piece! The quotation is just for the historical article. David