ClassX Video Lessons FreeSchool Presents: Shakespeare’s Invented Words – Words and Phrases Invented by Shakespeare
William Shakespeare is known as one of the greatest writers ever! He wrote plays and poems a long time ago, and he also helped shape the English language. People often say he invented up to 1,700 words. But what does that really mean?
In Shakespeare’s time, he used many words in his plays and poems that were not written down before. This makes us wonder: did he make up these words, or were people already using them when they talked? The truth is probably a mix of both. Some words might have been spoken by people, but Shakespeare was the first to write them down.
Not all the words he used became popular, though. Some, like “armgaunt” and “ribaudred,” didn’t stick around. But many others did!
Here are some cool words that we still use today, thanks to Shakespeare:
These words show how creative Shakespeare was and how he made the English language richer.
Besides words, Shakespeare also came up with some famous sayings that we still use today. Here are a few:
Even if Shakespeare wasn’t the first to use all these words and phrases, his writing has left a big mark on the English language. More than four hundred years later, we still feel his influence, showing how timeless his work is in literature and language.
Word Detective: Choose one of the words from the list that Shakespeare helped popularize, like “eyeball” or “lonely.” With the help of an adult, look for this word in books, magazines, or even on the internet. Write down where you found it and how it was used in a sentence. Share your findings with your classmates and discuss how often you see these words in everyday life.
Create Your Own Words: Just like Shakespeare, try inventing your own word! Think about what it means and how it could be used in a sentence. Draw a picture that represents your new word. Share your word with your friends or family and see if they can guess its meaning. This activity helps you understand how new words can be created and become part of a language.
Shakespeare’s Sayings in Action: Pick one of the famous sayings from Shakespeare, like “fight fire with fire” or “green-eyed monster.” Create a short skit or a comic strip that shows what the saying means. Perform your skit or present your comic to the class. This will help you understand how these sayings are used in real-life situations and why they have lasted so long.
