It comes from the Old French word chevalerie, which means something like "skill in handling a horse." In an age before guns, gunpowder, and cannons, warfare with lances and swords required the knight to battle his opponent personally and up close. Therefore, in order to ‘carry off’ speaking like a knight, it’s important that you also embody the knightly ideals, and attempt to live by them.The word "chivalry" originates in the Romance languages (Italian, Spanish, and French). But before you start using any of the above phrases, bear in mind that this formal manner of speaking is likely to sound anachronistic (behind the times) to some.
Speaking like a knight will allow you to make a noble impression when you’re speaking English. It is a more formal alternative to saying, ‘Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me’. It is useful when you need to assure someone that you will never betray their confidence. You can use this phrase when someone tells you a secret. The ‘line you will not cross’ is the limit of what you are prepared to do, as dictated by your morals. This phrase is used as an even stronger way of telling someone ‘no’. Knights would have preferred to politely refuse an unacceptable request by saying, ‘I’m afraid not’. “It’s been an honour serving with you.” I’m afraid not.Ībruptly telling someone ‘no’ can seem impolite or even rude. Use one of these grand phrases to make your colleague or teacher feel deeply appreciated. Instead, the phrase can be modernised to ‘It’s been an honour working with you’ or ‘It’s been an honour learning from you’. The above phrase is one that you are unlikely to have an opportunity to use because it is a highly formal way of saying thanks and goodbye to a warrior/knight who fought alongside you in a battle. Knights believed in the importance of thanking people properly, even for small things. These are all variations of a phrase that can be used to thank someone who has done/said something kind or complimented you. Thank you so much for your kind consideration.
If you see a stranger struggling to carry a heavy suitcase up the stairs, you can say ‘Allow me to help you ’. This phrase can be used when you see an opportunity to help someone. Use this phrase to let a friend know that you will be there for them, if they are ever in need. It’s an alternative phrase to use instead of telling someone not to worry. ‘Everything is taken care of’ is a reassuring phrase that you can use in any situation where someone is checking up on you. It can be used as a polite alternative to the casual phrase ‘no problem’.
‘My pleasure’ is a phrase that you can use after someone has thanked you for something. A phrase you can use to reassure someone that they can rely on you fully is ‘I give you my word’. Knights always kept their promises because their sense of honour was so important to them. Speaking like a Knight – Phrases to Use I give you my word. Avoid loquaciousness (too much talking, especially about things that aren’t important).Avoid boastfulness (telling everyone how great you are).This means you shouldn’t attempt to ruin someone’s reputation by saying things about them that are untrue. Never swear because it is ignoble to do so.Avoid using slang words because knights are evocative of tradition, not modernity.In order to speak like a knight, you should avoid the following bad speech habits: This is because love for them meant being devoted to an unobtainable woman. They rarely ‘joined’ with the object of their affections, however. The knights were in love with being in love. In addition to serving the monarch, they believed in protecting people who were weak and defenceless. Knights fought in battles and defended the monarch. In the Middle Ages, they earned their position by fighting for the sovereign (king) in return for an allocation of land. Knights were expected to behave in a way that way morally right. The knights of Medieval Europe were warriors who lived by the following high ideals:
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Importantly, it is a different type of knightly behaviour than is depicted in the modern television series Game Of Thrones, in which most of the knights fail to live by the principles of the chivalric code. ‘Chivalry’ (n) refers to the high ideals and code of behaviour that was followed by the medieval knights of Europe. The word ‘chivalrous’ (adj) comes from the Old French word ‘ chevalerie’, meaning knighthood or nobility.
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