How Much of Modern English Came from Shakespeare???

Summary

This video explores the significant impact William Shakespeare had on the English language, highlighting how his works introduced or popularized over 1,700 words and numerous idioms still in use today. It delves into the various ways he enriched the language, such as creating compound words, transforming nouns into verbs, and adopting terms from other languages.

Takeaways

• 📚 William Shakespeare's works, written in early modern English between 1590 and 1613, have had a profound impact on Western culture and the English language.
• 🎭 Shakespeare is credited with popularizing many words and idiomatic expressions, though it's debated whether he actually created 1,700 words or simply brought them into written form.
• 🌐 Shakespeare's idioms such as 'too much of a good thing' and 'come full circle' are still widely used today, with some having evolved in meaning since their first appearance in his plays.
• 📖 The Bard introduced new vocabulary through various linguistic methods, including compounding (e.g., 'upstairs', 'eyeball'), conversion (e.g., 'bump' from noun to verb), and affixation (e.g., 'successful' from 'success').
• 🔄 Some words had their meanings altered by Shakespeare, giving them new connotations that have persisted into modern English, such as 'flowery' evolving from a floral reference to one of richly embellished speech.
• 🌟 Shakespeare's influence extends beyond literature, as his works have contributed to the everyday language of English speakers worldwide, including those who learn English as a second language.
• 💡 The script highlights the power of passion and creativity, suggesting that through dedication to one's craft, one can have a lasting impact on language and culture.
• 🤔 The video script invites viewers to reflect on their own use of Shakespearean words and idioms, prompting engagement and a deeper appreciation for the language's rich history.
• 👏 Acknowledgment is given to Patreon supporters, emphasizing the community aspect and the support network that helps in creating and sharing educational content.
• 🌐 The video also promotes a free resource at liangfocus.com, offering a video series to help increase vocabulary in any language, demonstrating the ongoing quest for language learning and enrichment.

Q & A

What is the main challenge students face when studying Shakespeare's works?

The main challenge students face is that Shakespeare's works are written in early modern English, which can be difficult for them to understand as it feels like a different language.

How many plays and poems did William Shakespeare write?

William Shakespeare wrote at least 38 plays and over 150 poems, both short and long.

What is the impact of Shakespeare's works on Western culture and the English language?

Shakespeare's works have made a tremendous impact on Western culture and the English language, influencing vocabulary and idiomatic expressions that are frequently used today.

What is the common claim about the number of words Shakespeare created?

It is commonly claimed that Shakespeare created 1,700 words that are commonly used in modern English.

What should be considered when discussing the number of words attributed to Shakespeare's creation?

We should consider that some words may have been in colloquial use at the time, and Shakespeare was the first to use them in writing. Some of these words appeared earlier in less known literature, so it might be more accurate to say that he popularized these words.

Which idiom did Shakespeare first use to express 'too much of a good thing'?

The idiom 'too much of a good thing' first appeared in Shakespeare's play 'As You Like It'.

What is the meaning of the idiom 'the be-all and end-all' in its original Shakespearean context?

In its original context in 'Macbeth', 'the be-all and end-all' meant all that is needed to end all problems, with a somewhat adult and serious connotation.

What does the idiom 'come full circle' mean and where did it first appear?

The idiom 'come full circle' means that actions have gone through a series of stages and arrived back at the starting point in some way. It first appeared in 'King Lear'.

How has the meaning of some idioms and vocabulary introduced by Shakespeare evolved since his time?

Some idioms and vocabulary have evolved in meaning since Shakespeare's time. For example, 'a foregone conclusion' originally denoted a predictable outcome in 'Othello', and 'neither rhyme nor reason' has variations like 'without rhyme or reason' in modern English.

What is the origin of the idiom 'one fell swoop' and what does it mean?

The idiom 'one fell swoop' originated in 'Macbeth' and refers to an action completed rapidly and all at once, with 'fell' used in its archaic meaning of deadly.

What is the meaning of the idiom 'as luck would have it' and where did it first appear?

The idiom 'as luck would have it' indicates that something happened due to luck. It first appeared in 'The Merry Wives of Windsor'.

How did Shakespeare introduce new vocabulary into the English language?

Shakespeare introduced new vocabulary by combining existing words, using different word classes, adding affixes, and sometimes creating completely original words or giving existing words a new sense.

What is an example of a word Shakespeare created by combining two existing words?

An example is 'upstairs', which is a combination of 'up' and 'stairs'.

How did Shakespeare contribute to the English language through compound adjectives?

Shakespeare introduced compound adjectives like 'cold-hearted', 'cold-blooded', 'well-behaved', 'well-bred', 'well-educated', and 'well-read'.

What is the significance of Shakespeare's impact on the English language today?

Shakespeare's impact on the English language is significant as his works have contributed to the vocabulary and idioms that are used globally, even by non-native speakers, making English the de facto international language.

What is the moral or message that can be taken from the discussion about Shakespeare's impact on language?

The message is that by doing things we are passionate about, we can potentially have a long-lasting impact on the world around us, just as Shakespeare did with his works.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Shakespeare's Impact on English Language

This paragraph introduces the topic of William Shakespeare's significant influence on the English language. It discusses how his works, written in early modern English between 1590 and 1613, have shaped both the vocabulary and idiomatic expressions used today. The speaker, Paul, mentions that Shakespeare is credited with creating or popularizing around 1,700 words, although this number is debated. The paragraph also highlights several idioms that first appeared in Shakespeare's plays, such as 'too much of a good thing', 'the be-all and end-all', 'come full circle', 'have the makings of', 'a foregone conclusion', 'neither rhyme nor reason', 'one fell swoop', and 'as luck would have it'. These idioms illustrate how Shakespeare's language has permeated everyday speech, despite some meanings evolving over time.

05:00

🌐 The Evolution of English Through Shakespeare

This paragraph delves deeper into how Shakespeare's works have contributed to the English language. It explains that some words were created by combining existing words, such as 'upstairs' and 'downstairs', while others were formed by adding affixes to existing words, like 'successful' from 'success'. Shakespeare also introduced compound adjectives and used words in different word classes, such as 'bump' transitioning from a noun to a verb. The paragraph further discusses how some words gained new meanings, like 'cheap' evolving from 'low price' to 'low quality', and 'flowery' from 'related to flowers' to 'richly embellished'. Additionally, it covers how Shakespeare adopted words from French and Latin, and how some words were completely original or had their first written appearance in his works. The speaker emphasizes the immense impact Shakespeare has had on the English language, influencing both its vocabulary and the way it is spoken globally.

10:01

🎬 Acknowledging Patrons and Encouraging Further Learning

In the final paragraph, the speaker, Paul, acknowledges the support of his Patreon supporters, specifically highlighting the top two who are featured in the video. He thanks the viewers for watching and encourages them to visit his website, liangfocus.com, for free access to a video series on vocabulary enhancement. The speaker also invites viewers to sign up for his newsletter to receive a free video course directly to their email, emphasizing the ongoing support and educational resources available to those interested in expanding their language skills.

Keywords

💡Early Modern English

Early Modern English refers to the form of the English language used between the years 1500 and 1700. It is the period during which William Shakespeare wrote his plays and poems. The script discusses how Shakespeare's works, written in this form of English, may not be immediately easy to understand for modern readers due to its archaic nature and the evolution of the language since then.

💡Idiom

An idiom is a phrase or expression whose meaning cannot be deduced from the literal meanings of the individual words. The script highlights several idioms that originated or were popularized by Shakespeare, such as 'too much of a good thing,' 'the be-all and end-all,' and 'come full circle,' showing how these phrases have become integral parts of the English language.

💡Vocabulary

Vocabulary refers to the set of words known to a person or used in a text. The script emphasizes Shakespeare's extensive impact on the English vocabulary, noting that he is credited with creating or popularizing around 1,700 words that are still in use today.

💡Colloquial Use

Colloquial use refers to the everyday spoken language, as opposed to formal or written language. The script suggests that some of the words Shakespeare used may have been in colloquial use at the time but were first recorded in his written works.

💡Compound Words

Compound words are formed by combining two or more existing words to create a new word with a distinct meaning. The script provides examples such as 'upstairs,' 'downstairs,' 'birthplace,' and 'eyeball,' illustrating how Shakespeare contributed to the English language by creating such compounds.

💡Affixes

Affixes are prefixes or suffixes added to a word to create a new word or change its meaning. The script discusses how Shakespeare used affixes to form new words like 'successful' from 'success,' or 'useful' from 'use,' demonstrating his innovative use of language.

💡Word Classes

Word classes, also known as parts of speech, are the categories of words based on their function in a sentence, such as nouns, verbs, adjectives, and adverbs. The script explains how Shakespeare used words from one class as another, for example, turning nouns into verbs or vice versa.

💡Adjectives

Adjectives are words that describe or modify nouns. The script mentions Shakespeare's creation of compound adjectives like 'cold-hearted' and 'well-educated,' showing how he enriched the language with descriptive terms.

💡Prefixes and Suffixes

Prefixes and suffixes are types of affixes that can change the meaning of a word or create new words. The script provides examples such as 'unsuccessful' with the prefix 'un-' and 'amazement' with the suffix 'ment,' highlighting Shakespeare's use of these linguistic tools.

💡Colloquialism

Colloquialism refers to the use of informal language typical of conversation. The script notes that some words, like 'puke' and 'bet,' were originally colloquial terms that Shakespeare incorporated into his writing, thereby influencing their acceptance in the standard language.

💡Borrowing from Other Languages

Borrowing from other languages involves adopting words from one language into another. The script mentions 'retirement' from Middle French and 'generous' from French, showing how Shakespeare's works also reflect the blending of linguistic influences.

💡Collocations

Collocations are combinations of words that co-occur regularly in a language. The script points out that certain common collocations, such as 'on purpose' and 'the document in question,' were first found in Shakespeare's works, indicating his influence on the habitual pairing of words in English.

Highlights

Students worldwide study Shakespeare in schools, but often find it difficult due to its early modern English language.

Shakespeare's works, written between 1590 and 1613, include at least 38 plays and over 150 poems.

Shakespeare's plays and poems have had a tremendous impact on Western culture and the English language.

It's commonly said that Shakespeare created 1,700 words, but this number needs scrutiny as many may have been in colloquial use at the time.

Shakespeare is better known for popularizing words and ensuring their presence in modern English.

Idioms like 'too much of a good thing' and 'the be-all and end-all' originated in Shakespeare's plays.

The idiom 'come full circle' first appeared in King Lear, meaning to return to a starting point.

The idiom 'to have the makings of' comes from Henry the Eighth, originally referring to royal qualities.

Some idioms and vocabulary have evolved in meaning since their introduction by Shakespeare.

The phrase 'neither rhyme nor reason' was first written in the Comedy of Errors, meaning lacking logic.

The idiom 'one fell swoop' refers to an action completed rapidly, first used in Macbeth.

The phrase 'as luck would have it' indicates something happening due to luck, first appearing in The Merry Wives of Windsor.

Shakespeare introduced new vocabulary by combining existing words, such as 'upstairs' and 'downstairs'.

Compound adjectives like 'cold-hearted' and 'well-read' were introduced by Shakespeare.

Words from one class, such as nouns, could be used as verbs in Shakespeare's time, like 'to torture'.

New words were created by adding affixes, such as 'successful' from 'success'.

Some words were given a new sense by Shakespeare, like 'cheap' used to mean low quality.

Words like 'retirement' and 'generous' were adopted from French and Latin, with different original meanings.

Shakespeare's influence on English is seen in everyday language, with many words and idioms still in use.

Shakespeare's works have a lasting impact, showing that passion can influence the world around us.

Transcripts

hello everyone welcome to the Laing

focused Channel and my name is Paul

students all over the english-speaking

world studies Shakespeare at school and

lots of them hate it

maybe because what they're reading feels

a little bit like a different language

and they can't understand it very well

the reason the plays and poems of

William Shakespeare aren't immediately

easy to understand is that they were

written in early modern English between

the years 1590 and 1613 Shakespeare

wrote at least 38 plays and over a

hundred and fifty poems both short and

long some of these are legendary

classics like Hamlet Macbeth and Romeo

and Juliet the works of William

Shakespeare made a tremendous impact on

Western culture and more importantly for

us here today on the English language of

course there are famous lines from

Shakespeare's plays like to be or not to

be that is the question but that's not

what I'm talking about I'm talking about

an extensive impact on the actual

vocabulary of English including many

words that we use every day and many

idiomatic expressions that are

frequently used it has commonly been

said that Shakespeare created 1,700

words that are commonly used in modern

English we have to be careful with that

number and the word created though there

are many words whose first appearance in

writing is in the works of William

Shakespeare but many of these words may

have been in colloquial use at the time

while Shakespeare was just the first to

use them in writing and some of these

1700 words actually appeared an earlier

but less known literature it might be

better to say that Shakespeare

popularized these words and helped

ensure their presence in modern English

as it developed it's hard to know

exactly which words he created himself

and which ones he didn't let's start

with idioms because we have a better

idea of which one's originated with

Shakespeare too much of a good thing

this idiom first appeared in the play as

you like it you might be a little

surprised by what thing refers to in the

original context of the play it's uh I

guess you could say its meaning is

somewhat adult the be-all and end-all

meaning the most impressive or important

in its category this idiom first

appeared in the play Macbeth Shakespeare

used it with a somewhat different

meaning all that is needed to end all

his problems Macbeth is considering a

SAS

King Duncan but wonders about the

additional problems it will cause come

full circle this first appeared in King

Lear to come full circle means that your

actions have gone through a series of

stages but you arrive back at your

starting point in some way to have the

makings of this is an idiom which means

to have the potential to become this

idiom comes from Henry the eighth she

had all the royal makings of a queen the

original meaning was a little different

though it meant that she possessed

things that gave her the appearance of a

queen not that she had the potential to

become a queen some idioms and

vocabulary introduced by Shakespeare

have evolved in meanings since then a

foregone conclusion a term referring to

a highly predictable outcome this is

first found in the play Othello nay this

was but his dream but this denoted a

foregone conclusion in other words what

happened in the dream most certainly

happened in real life and again what

happened in the dream was something

illicit of an adult nature neither rhyme

nor reason this is an idiom meaning that

something is completely lacking in logic

and order it first appeared in writing

in the comedy of errors but it's a

translation of a similar phrase in

French Selim knew hazel literally

without rhyme or reason in modern-day

English this idiom exists in a few

variations like without rhyme or reason

or no rhyme or reason for example

there's no rhyme or reason for his

behavior or he managed the office

without rhyme or reason one fell swoop

this is an idiom referring to an action

completed rapidly and all at once it

first appeared in Macbeth all my pretty

ones did you say all oh hell kite all

what all my pretty chickens and their

dam at one fell swoop Macduff is talking

about the murder of his family ordered

by Macbeth and uses the metaphor of a

dangerous bird swooping down to attack

the word fell is used here with its

archaic meaning of deadly as luck would

have it this is an idiom indicating that

something happened due to luck for

example I forgot my wallet at home but

as luck would have it there was a $20

bill in my pocket

this first appeared in The Merry Wives

of Windsor you shall hear as good luck

would have it comes in one mistress page

there are many more idioms like these

some of which are mainly used in

literary contexts and some of which are

commonly used in everyday language and

there are some which are still

attributed to Shakespeare even though

earlier appearances of the idiom are now

known such as it's Greek to me

more common these days in its variant

form it's all Greek to me meaning you

can't understand something at all

vocabulary the vocabulary introduced by

William Shakespeare into English

developed in a few different ways some

words were created by combining two

existing words the adverb upstairs is a

combination of up and stairs

similarly downstairs is a combination of

down plus stairs birthplace eyeball

watchdog Shakespeare introduced a number

of compound adjectives consisting of an

adjective and a past participle

cold-hearted cold-blooded well behaved

well bred well educated well-read

ill-tempered some words became used in

different word classes after English

lost much of its inflection in the

Middle English period it became easy for

words from one class such as noun

adjective or verb to be used in another

class some verbs became used as nouns

for example the word bump it first

appeared as a noun in the works of

William Shakespeare but it existed as a

verb before that similarly control when

used as a noun and hint when used as a

noun go between a noun referring to a

middleman or liaison this comes from the

verbal phrase go-between and some nouns

became used as verbs to torture this

first existed as a noun but Shakespeare

used it as a verb to cater this is a

verb meaning to supply food this came

from the middle english noun Couture

meaning buyer of provisions many new

words were created through adding

affixes to existing words successful

this adjective was formed from the noun

success by adding the suffix full

similarly useful is an adjective that

came from the noun use plus the suffix

full something is full of use amazement

the noun was formed from the verb amazed

with the addition of the suffix mint

mint creates a noun referring to an

action

or the state resulting from that action

countless this adjective comes from the

noun Celt

plus the suffix less the suffix less

indicates the absence of something so if

something's priceless it's too valuable

for you to buy there's no price employer

this is an agent noun a noun for the

doer of an action which was created by

adding the suffix ER to the verb employ

and related to that is employment for

this noun the suffix ment was added to

the verb the state that results from the

action employ fashionable this adjective

was created from the verb fashion plus

the suffix a bull

so it means able to be fashioned in

other words able to be given good style

majestic Shakespeare created the

adjective from the noun majesty plus the

adjective suffix kick to misquote the

prefix miss simply adds the meaning of

mistaken or wrong some words were even

created by removing affixes to impede

this verb was created by removing the

noun forming suffix meant from

impediment to negotiate this verb was

formed by removing the noun forming

suffix tion tion from negotiation some

existing words were given a new sense

cheap this word had already existed with

the meaning of low price but Shakespeare

used it with the sense of low quality or

vulgar flowery this word had already

existed as an adjective related to

flowers but William Shakespeare used it

with the new sense of richly embellished

speech for example using lots of fancy

adjectives some words were adopted from

French and Latin retirement this word

was taken from middle French Guatemala

originally meaning act of retreating and

act of withdrawing into seclusion

Shakespeare didn't use it with its most

common modern-day meaning of coming to

the end of your working life the word

generous was taken from French janila

but it originally had a different sense

from now meaning gentle noble or fair

some words are completely original

whether they originated in colloquial

speech or Shakespeare created them to

puke a colloquial word for vomit

to bet this word first appeared in the

slang of street criminals but in writing

it was first found in the works of

Shakespeare certain common collocations

were first found in the works of

Shakespeare for example on purpose the

something in question the thing we are

focusing on for example the document in

question something you might hear in a

formal legal or business context it's

quite amazing that one man who wrote a

collection of plays and poetry not only

inspired our literary tradition but also

had such a huge impact on the words we

use every day without even realizing it

English is now the de facto

international language and people all

around the world including people who

learn English as a second language or

foreign language use words and idioms

either created by William Shakespeare or

catapulted into the mainstream of modern

English through his works and it's

impressive on another level as well

it's a powerful reminder that by doing

things we're passionate about we can

potentially have a long-lasting impact

on the world around us the question of

the day which of the words and idioms in

the video do you use regularly did you

know that they originated in the works

of William Shakespeare leave your

answers in the comments down below a big

shout-out goes out to all of my patreon

supporters including these ones right

here on the screen

they are my top two you're patreon

supporters and that's why they appear in

the video and to everyone thank you for

watching and have a nice day

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