How Shakespeare Influenced the English Language
3 ways in which Shakespeare influenced the English language you must know about
The impact of William Shakespeare on the English language cannot be overstated. This article explores three key ways in which Shakespeare’s genius continues to resonate through the ever-evolving landscape of the English language.
Shakespeare and other influences in the English language
Before what was called ‘the golden age’ for English literature, which also refers to the age of Shakespeare, English was not the same language that we know and speak today. Shakespeare undoubtedly gave the start to the period what is now known as the Early Modern English period but before that, during what was called the Middle English, French language and culture were dominant and French replaced English in polite court society and had lasting effects on English culture. It was during the fifteenth century that English acquired much of its modern form. The grammar and the rules of English were not standardised.
Neologisms
Shakespeare is not only one of the most famous writers of English literature but he is also a great neologist. He invented many words and phrases which we use in everyday language. When trying to use insults in his plays, he didn’t use a language of bitterness and hatred, and the term used for that is often found as ‘cleverly fashioned insults’.
The use of apostrophes
Another relevant element of the language used by him was the use of the apostrophe in his plays, while the use of the apostrophe for genitive expressions was not fully established until the 18th century.
Suffixes, compounding and clipping
Another grammatical change was the suffixes that indicated the word’s grammatical functions also called inflectional endings. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, there are 357 instances where Shakespeare is the only recorded user of a word in one or more of its senses. Word-formation processes included derivation, the addition of a prefix or suffix to a root (e.g. <-un> + satisfied = unsatisfied); compounding, putting two roots together (e.g. gentle + man = gentleman); and clipping, reducing a word to one of its parts (e.g. etiquette = ticket).
Shakespeare’s influence on the English language was huge and here is a quote which summarises it really well: ‘He was not for an age but for all time ‘- this is what Ben Johnson declared in the dedication to the 1623 First Folio of the plays of William Shakespeare.
Summary
Shakespeare played a pivotal role in shaping the English language. Shakespeare’s works played a significant role in the standardization of English grammar and spelling. His popularity and widespread readership contributed to the acceptance of certain linguistic conventions. His linguistic genius continues to transcend time, leaving a mark on the language we speak and write today.