List of Medieval Exclamations & Archaic Interjections! Te Deum! (Updated 2020)
Somewhere in a fantasy version of the Caribbean during the 1490s, a sword fight ensues twixt two exclamation- and interjection-loving roisterers.
See what kind of interesting and archaic words they use to express how they feel in the examples below. These are all real words used throughout history that work great in medieval fantasy and historical fiction.
Archaic and/or Medieval Exclamations and Interjections
Prithee: “Please”
Example: Prithee, Your Majesty, may I see a good sword fight?
Salvete: “Welcome” “Hail”
Example: Salvete! Let us get started.
Gramercy: “Thank you” “I’m grateful”
Example: “Gramercy, Your Majesty. Gramercy!”
Alas and alack: “To our misfortune” “Unfortunately” “Sadly”
Example: Alas and alack, the duel ‘twixt two strangers begins somewhere in the Caribbean.
Adieu: “Goodbye!” “Farewell!”
Example: Adieu, poltroon! Fall on my spadroon!
Viva: “Long live!”
Example: Adieu to you, craven! Viva Captain Flint!
Voila: “There you go!”
Example: Have it your way, macho. Voila! Take that!
En garde: “On guard!”
Example: Ha! Your spadroon is no match for my cutlass! En garde, dead man!
Egad: “Oh!” “Wow!” “Yes!”
Example: Egad, how did you hit me? You will pay for that, old man!”
Gad: “Oh my god!”
Example: Ha! You really think?–Gad, my wrist! You cheat! You are the one who will pay!”
Faugh: “Disgusting!”
Example: Faugh, you may have a superior sword but I have superior skill, pendejo.
Huzzah: “Yay!” “Oh yeah!”
Example: Oh yeah? I don’t think so! Huzzah! Take this! What? How did you block that?
Quotha: “Really it is so” “Indeed!” “Forsooth”
Example: I blocked your attack because, like I said, pendejo, your skills are lacking, quotha.
Fie: “Damn!” “Disgusting!”
Example: Fie, that snake in your mouth makes me sick.”
Oyez: “Hear ye!” “Attention!” “Hearken!”
Example: If my tongue makes you so sick–oyez! Oyez! Oyez, my friend. My tongue will hiss you off to your grave and–egad, my heart! You bastard! You stabbed me in the heart!
Tut-tut: “What a shame” “Tsk tsk”
Example: You had skill but, tut-tut, you talked too much.
