18th Century New England English?

Question

I am in search of any references to vocabulary used in the early history of New England.... the times of scullery maids and such.... 18th century....
Are there dictionaries or refererence books of any kind? What would you suggest?

Answer 1

Scullery maids? What?

Well, your best bet is to read writings from that time. Look for "Common Sense" by Thomas Paine, "Vanity Fair" by William Makepeace Thackery, or Tom Jones by Fielding. Perhaps copies of the Farmer's Almanac with writings by Ben Franklin.

Some books from that period may take place in England, but much of the language would be the same, as many Americans were fairly close to their European counterparts and emulated them. Also, most changes that made the American dialect so different from the British happened with the immigration boom (mid to late19th century).

Answer 2

i've got have been given some great ones: delight and Prejudice, Emma, experience and Sensibility, Northanger Abbey, Mansfield Park, and Persuasion, all by skill of Jane Austen. Wuthering Heights, by skill of Emily Bronte. Jane Eyre, by skill of Charlotte Bronte. Dracula, by skill of Bram Stoker. The unusual Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, by skill of Robert Louis Stevenson. the image of Dorian gray, by skill of Oscar Wilde. happy examining!