A reaction to the language in Convoy leads to a short lesson in historical method. Older vocabulary can remain useful when an editor explains it instead of silently removing it. Students must establish what a phrase meant in its contemporary setting before mapping it onto modern usage. Archival research begins with contemporary meaning, since a present-day reading can badly distort an older document.
Notable Point · 37:47-38:20
Why historical vocabulary needs context
Older source vocabulary should be preserved and explained because present-day readers can otherwise misunderstand what a term meant in its original setting.