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Shakespeare's Language
Thy blah, thou blah, thee blah
The Language• The language of Shakespeare can appear confusing
and daunting when first reading his work. • Many people become confused and turned off by
his work because of the language. • The English language contains about 300,000
words, but your vocabulary is about 3000 and you get by on a daily basis with about 150.
• By contrast, William Shakespeare had a vocabulary of 15,000 words and invented many of the words and phrases that we still use today.
Re-Inventing the Language• Shakespeare is not the last
person to re-invent the English language.
• Like it or hate it computers and mobile phones have changed the way we write and communicate with each other.
The Language of Text Messaging
• Here is an example of a conversation that may occur on MSN or through mobile phone texts. – Sam: Wotz up...R U OK...Wotz d m@r– James: brb.....POS– Sam: lol....;-)– James: Shes gone...Noting d M@r– Sam: You going 2 Steves prt this W/E or hanging wit
UR GF– James: ROFL....chilln wit GF...I h8t Steve....
Shakespearean Text Messages
Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet…FeudTween2hses—Montague&Capulet.
RomeoM falls_<3w>_JulietC@marySecretly
Bt R kils J’s Cox&isbanishd. J fakes Death. As
Part of Plan2b-w/R Bt_leter Bt It Nvr Reachs
Him. Evry1confuzd—bothLuvrs kil Emselves.
Translate the above passage into your own words using CORRECT ENGLISH!
The Language of Text Messaging
List down five reasons for how and why our language has evolved through the use of text messaging:
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Shakespearean Language
1. Thou, thee and thy – These mean you, you, and your, respectively. These words dropped out of our language a couple of centuries ago, but Shakespeare uses them. The verb that is used with “thou” changes as well.
• Example: “ Thou wilt fall backward when thou hast more wit,
Wilt thou not Jule?”• Translation: You will fall backward when you have more
wit,
Will you not, Jule?
Shakespearean Language
2. Inversion – Sometimes Shakespeare will invert the verb and the subject.
• For instance, he might write, “Went I to Bellarmine.” instead of “I Went to Bellarmine.”
• Example: “Then dreams he of another’s benefice.”
• Translation: He dreams of another’s benefice.
Others Who Invert the Language
Powerful you have become, the dark side I sense in you.-- Yoda
Grave danger you are in. Impatient you are.-- Yoda
Try not. Do or do not, there is no try.-- Yoda
Help you I can, yes.-- Yoda
When 900 years you reach, look as good, you will not.-- Yoda
Shakespearean Language
3. Diction – There are three ‘problems’ with Shakespeare’s word choices:
• Firstly - he uses words that no longer exist in the English we speak.
• Secondly - he uses words that are in our language, but now have a different meaning to us.
• Thirdly – he uses words that are in our language, but we simply don’t know what these words mean – you should look them up.
Shakespearean Vocabulary
• Some translations to help you …
still = always
soft = slowly, gently
mark = listen
an = if
fell = cruel, fierce, deadly
to-night = last night
perforce = we must, you must
kind = true to one’s nature
Shakespearean Vocabulary
ay = yes
fain = gladly
marry = swear word
anon = at once
plague, pox, ague = disease
Wherefore = why
Aye = yes
E’en = even
E’er = ever
Fair = beautiful
Haply = by chance
Hath = has
Marry = yes, indeed
Prithee = please
Thy = yourWhence = whereWilt = will, will you
Shakespearean Vocabulary
Shakespearean Vocabulary• Alack: Alas!
This is an expression of sorrow or sympathy• “Alack alack! Help, help! My lady’s dead!” (Act IV Scene
5)
• Anon: Soon• “Anon, good nurse! Sweet Montague be true!” (Act II
Scene 2)
• Art: are• “Thou art thyself though not a Montague.” (Act II Scene
2)
• Hither: here• “Meantime I writ to Romeo that he should hither come as
this dire night.” (Act V Scene 2)
Shakespearean Vocabulary• Fie: expression of anger
• “Fie, fie, thou shamest thy shape, thy love, thy wit.” (Act III Scene 3)
• Hence: away from here• “Go, get thee hence, for I will not away.” (Act V Scene 2)• “Therefore hence be gone!” (Act V Scene 2)
• Hie: hurry• “Then hie you hence to Friar Laurence’ cell.” (Act II Scene
5)
Shakespearean Vocabulary• Thee/Thou: you
• “Thou art consortest with Romeo.” (Act III Scene 1)
• Tis: it is• “Tis but thy name that is thy enemy.” (Act II Scene 2)
Try it YourselfTry writing sentences to accomplish the following things: 1. Ask someone to dance with you.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. You are late to a meeting or game – order your friend to hurry up.____________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Beg your parents to let you stay out an extra hour past curfew.____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Try it Yourself• Haply, wilt thou dance with me?
• Hie! We must hence to the meeting/game!
• Prithee, Mom and Dad! I beg thee to let me stay out late tonight!
Try it YourselfNow that you have converted modern language to Shakespearean language, try converting the following passages from Shakespeare’s plays and sonnets into the modern language of today.
Try it Yourself1. “Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown!” (Henry IV Part I)
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet…” (Romeo and Juliet)____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
3. “Shall I compare you to a summer’s day?Thou art more lovely and more temperate.” (Sonnet 18)____________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Try it Yourself• The head (the person) who wears a
crown (a ruler, king, queen, etc.) will never be at rest.
• What does a name mean? If we renamed a rose and called it something else, it would still smell just as nice.
• Let me compare you to a summer day. You are more beautiful and more gentle.