[Andrew Frisardi]

In another thread, a member was saying that he sometimes uses and hears the word “alas” in normal conversation, so it’s natural enough to use it in translation of an old poem.

I admit that I cringe when I hear the word in a poem, even an old one (i.e., one recently translated into English). Clearly this is my personal association, a result of conditioning of one kind or another. But I can’t shake the reaction--yet, anyway.

I’m curious as to other people’s experience. Is “alas” a word that’s used still, without irony? How do you feel about its use in translations of old poems?

As in . . . “Alas! my ass is grass!”

It seems that the only alternative in current American idiom for an exclamatory word like this is “Oh, shit!” Which obviously won’t do.