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Vince Posted 21 years ago
Vocabulary

Riff-raff, groundlings and stinkards

0 While translating a text, a came across a view words which are completely unkown to me, and I couldn't find a proper discription in my dictionary or on a beatiful website, so perhaps you guys can help me out? 02br
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00It's about the 01b00fat02b00 words in the following text: 02br
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00Performances took place in daylight, starting at around three in the afternoon and lasting about two hours. Contemporary society was reflected in the seating arrangements. Upstairs in the Lord's Room (a covered balcony) were the posh sixpenny seats, filled by smart Elizabethans in lace and velvet. Downstairs in the open air stood the 01b00riff-raff02b00 (01b00groundlings02b00 or 01b00stinkards02b00) – they could see very little but only paid a penny a time (equivalent to about €7 today). A trumpet blast announced the start of the play, which had a minimum of decor and props. This was 'theatre in the round' and performances were quite interactive. The audience responded by simply booing, cheering or throwing things… 02br
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00Cheers 02br
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00Vince.. 0-
  

Top answer

0 Hi Vince, 02br 02br 00These are all rather uncomplementary terms for the hoi polloi. 02br 02br 00Definitions from Webster: 02br 02br 01b 00Groundling02b 02br 00a : a spectator who stood in the pit of an Elizabethan theater 02br 00b : a person of unsophisticated taste 02br 02br 01b 00Stinkard02b 02br 00 mean or contemptible person 02br 02br 01b 00Riffraff02b 02br 00disreputable persons 0-

  • 0 Hi Vince, 02br 02br 00These are all rather uncomplementary terms for the hoi polloi.
  • 02br 02br 00Definitions from Webster: 02br 02br 01b 00Groundling02b 02br 00a : a spectator who stood in the pit of an Elizabethan theater 02br 00b : a person of unsophisticated taste 02br 02br 01b 00Stinkard02b 02br 00 mean or contemptible person 02br 02br 01b 00Riffraff02b 02br 00disreputable persons 0-
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3 Answers
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0 Hi Vince, 02br
02br
00These are all rather uncomplementary terms for the hoi polloi. 02br
02br
00Definitions from Webster: 02br
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01b00Groundling02b02br
00a : a spectator who stood in the pit of an Elizabethan theater 02br
00b : a person of unsophisticated taste 02br
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0You're great 05002br
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00I normally use the Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary, but as I see it's a good idea to use some others as well.. 02br
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00Thanks a lot! 010id1
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0 I like the Cambridge Dictionaries, but sometimes I have to trawl through a few to find the word or definition I'm looking for. Here's the site for Mirriam Webster on line: 02br
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05000/ 0230hrefhttp://www.m-w.com

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