Words: ken, n. and v.
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.NOT NEW to The Complete Lyrics of Noel Coward, and undoubtedly true, "Even Clergymen Are Naughty Now and Then" (On with the Dance, 1925) is not as well known as it might be. (The greatest such gem is "Time Will Tell", cut from several shows.) As for the clergy, Douglas Byng and Ernest Thesiger sang: "There's not a week goes by / In which some one doesn't die, / So we really mustn't grumble very much." One can picture this harmonising vicar and curate: "though we fill the cup of duty to the very brim / Ideas may sometimes swim / Into our ken".
Curiously, ken - with many European equivalents and defined by Johnson as "view; reach of sight" - is seemed rare by the OED, when it was surely given currency by Kenneth Horne's wireless show.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments