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Tue 4 Feb, 2014 11:29 pm
If a person understands Shakespeare's 16th and 17th c. English, up to 21st c. modern English, but not middle English nor old English, what's the idiomatic way of expressing the idea? Can these?
-His English goes no further than Shakespeare's English.
-His English tops at Shakespeare's English.
-His English knows no higher than Shakespeare's English.
second and third ones are just bad english. first one sounds like he doesn't understand anything LATER than shakespeare, which is exactly the opposit of what you're trying to express. try "he can't understand any english older than shakespeare's english."
@WBYeats,
I would say....
"He's a clever bugger! He actually understands what Shakespeare was banging on about."
@WBYeats,
I second Jack of Hearts on this.
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