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GRE Prep Club Team Member
Joined: 20 Feb 2017
Posts: 2936
Given Kudos: 1286
GPA: 3.39
When you hear the word swashbuckler, what image comes to mind? Perha
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29 Mar 2026, 04:49
29 Mar 2026, 04:49
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When you hear the word “swashbuckler,” what image comes to mind? Perhaps you imagine Robin Hood, or Zorro, or one of the Three Musketeers—a people’s hero, dashing and dauntless. However, the word “swashbuckler” did not always evoke such exciting and positive images. This is a case of linguistic amelioration—a word that initially had negative connotations but over time gained neutral or even positive connotations.
When “swashbuckler” first entered usage in the 1600s, it meant a braggart—a loud and abrasive person in whose company you would not care to pass much time. For centuries, this meaning held sway until the early twentieth century, when a new kind of movie plot redefined the word. Such actors as Errol Flynn and Douglas Fairbanks played handsome, sword-wielding heroes who engaged in daring deeds, and the swashbuckler was reborn as the romantic figure who continues to star in movies today. In fact, in the late twentieth century, swashbucklers even ventured into outer space in the form of lightsaber-wielding Jedi knights.
When “swashbuckler” first entered usage in the 1600s, it meant a braggart—a loud and abrasive person in whose company you would not care to pass much time. For centuries, this meaning held sway until the early twentieth century, when a new kind of movie plot redefined the word. Such actors as Errol Flynn and Douglas Fairbanks played handsome, sword-wielding heroes who engaged in daring deeds, and the swashbuckler was reborn as the romantic figure who continues to star in movies today. In fact, in the late twentieth century, swashbucklers even ventured into outer space in the form of lightsaber-wielding Jedi knights.
1. The author mentions “lightsaber-wielding Jedi knights” primarily in order to
A. explain the origins of the swashbuckler character.
B. suggest that the swashbuckler character continues to please audiences.
C. demonstrate that the definition of swashbuckler continues to become more positive.
D. compare swashbucklers of the 1600s to recently popular movie characters.
E. show that lightsabers and swords are similar weapons.
2. The author would most likely agree with which of the following statements?
A. Swashbucklers of the 1600s were likely mischaracterized as brash braggarts.
B. Multiple types of fictional swashbucklers have been featured in twentieth-century films.
C. A word may undergo linguistic amelioration long after it is first coined.
GRE Prep Club Team Member
Joined: 20 Feb 2017
Posts: 2936
Given Kudos: 1286
GPA: 3.39
Re: When you hear the word swashbuckler, what image comes to mind? Perha
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31 Mar 2026, 09:26
31 Mar 2026, 09:26
1
Expert Reply
Official Explanation
1. The author mentions “lightsaber-wielding Jedi knights” primarily in order to
Difficulty Level: Very Hard
Explanation
To understand why the author uses this detail, we must first understand the overall purpose of the passage, which is to inform readers of the etymology of a well-known term. We also note that the passage is organized chronologically—from the time the word “swashbuckler” entered the language in the 1600s until recent times. The author mentions the phrase “lightsaber-wielding Jedi knights” as an example of a swashbuckler as defined in present day. Thus, answer choice (B) is correct.
Answer choice (A) does not fit the passage’s chronological structure because the origins of the swashbuckler were dealt with much earlier in the passage.
Answer choice (C) may look attractive at first if we rely on personal preferences for certain movies, but it is not supported by the passage, which states that the definition of “swashbuckler” became more positive in the early 20th century, not the late 20th century.
Answer choice (D) is incorrect because the passage contrasts the definition of a swashbuckler in the 1600s with a revised definition based on movie characters of the early 20th century, not to compare swashbucklers of these two different time periods.
Answer choice (E) is also incorrect because the passage makes no comparison between any types of weapons.
Therefore the correct answer is (B).
Difficulty Level: Very Hard
Explanation
To understand why the author uses this detail, we must first understand the overall purpose of the passage, which is to inform readers of the etymology of a well-known term. We also note that the passage is organized chronologically—from the time the word “swashbuckler” entered the language in the 1600s until recent times. The author mentions the phrase “lightsaber-wielding Jedi knights” as an example of a swashbuckler as defined in present day. Thus, answer choice (B) is correct.
Answer choice (A) does not fit the passage’s chronological structure because the origins of the swashbuckler were dealt with much earlier in the passage.
Answer choice (C) may look attractive at first if we rely on personal preferences for certain movies, but it is not supported by the passage, which states that the definition of “swashbuckler” became more positive in the early 20th century, not the late 20th century.
Answer choice (D) is incorrect because the passage contrasts the definition of a swashbuckler in the 1600s with a revised definition based on movie characters of the early 20th century, not to compare swashbucklers of these two different time periods.
Answer choice (E) is also incorrect because the passage makes no comparison between any types of weapons.
Therefore the correct answer is (B).
Re: When you hear the word swashbuckler, what image comes to mind? Perha
[#permalink]
02 Apr 2026, 13:10
02 Apr 2026, 13:10
1
Expert Reply
The passage concludes by noting that swashbucklers "even ventured into outer space" in the late twentieth century. This serves as a contemporary example to illustrate that the archetype -once a negative term for a braggart-remains a popular and enduring fixture in modern entertainment.
- Why B is correct: By mentioning Jedi knights, the author shows that the "heroic" version of the swashbuckler is still relevant and successful in blockbuster media.
- Why C is incorrect: While the word underwent "amelioration" (becoming positive), the mention of Jedi doesn't necessarily make the definition more positive than it already was; it simply shows the archetype's continued presence in new settings.
- Why D is incorrect: The author is connecting the Jedi to the romanticized version of the swashbuckler from the early 1900s, not the "loud and abrasive" braggarts of the 1600s.
- Why B is correct: By mentioning Jedi knights, the author shows that the "heroic" version of the swashbuckler is still relevant and successful in blockbuster media.
- Why C is incorrect: While the word underwent "amelioration" (becoming positive), the mention of Jedi doesn't necessarily make the definition more positive than it already was; it simply shows the archetype's continued presence in new settings.
- Why D is incorrect: The author is connecting the Jedi to the romanticized version of the swashbuckler from the early 1900s, not the "loud and abrasive" braggarts of the 1600s.
