(illustration to 11.178)

Selden’s neologisms often take the form of appropriations of classical root-words such as ‘hebdomad’, which Selden modifies to ‘hebdomadal’, denoting a period that consists of seven days. This is also the case with ‘heptagonal’ and ‘gynaeocracy’, or government by women. The logic Selden employs in forming new words makes for an interesting comparison with Drayton’s. Where Drayton’s words more often than not seem to be chosen for their ‘feel’ and are usually fashioned from existing English words, Selden uses language much more literally, applying an appropriate suffix to a Latin or Greek root in order to construct the words he wants.