Customer Reviews

Coined by Shakespeare: Words and Meanings First Penned by the Bard

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This little book (from Merriam Webster, the big dictionary people) is definitely fun. It is part of a series about how words have been used in different times and places. This volume concentrates on the words "invented" by Shakespeare - the authors estimate that there are in the vicinity of 1,500 such words and this book probably includes a couple hundred examples. Admittedly, there is lots of room for judgement here and sometimes the authors note that, but many times they state theories as fact. This tendency keeps my rating below five stars. The book is organized with a chapter for each letter of the alphabet - and a Shakespeare trivia quiz at the end of each chapter. Again, fun, but beware of theories - on the other hand, maybe one of these questions will make it to "Do You Want To Be A Millionaire?". It is not a book for reading straight through, but it is perfect to fill short periods here and there that keep you waiting. You will be amazed at the words included such as ADVERTISING, ALLIGATOR, INVESTMENT, OBSCENE, PUKE, PUPPY DOG and ZANY. There are also some examples that you probably won't recognize. The text gives sites for the usage in Shakespeare's plays. If you are interested enough in this subject to have made it to the end of this review, then buy it, its worth the price.

I bought this book for myself and a copy for my granddaughter, age 13. She had played a leading role in Midsummer's Night two year's ago at her St. Paul elementary school. The experience won her over to Shakespeare. Since I didn't start reading Shakespeare before age 18, I wondered if Coined by Shakespeare would be too far out-of-tune with the romance novels that she was devouring. Well, I've read it now. It is a dandy. A real banger, as Hardy would put it. Rarely does a scholarly book meet the needs of anyone less versed than a PhD. This book, I'm making wager, will charm a 13 year old word lover. We just finished a Minnesota blizzard. I'm tickled that Shakespeare coined "gust."

You've heard too many times that Shakespeare coined thousands of words... but what were they? This book brings to light all of Shakespeare's neologisms-- some we use on a daily basis.

Your students will love learning about these words--some dusty and strange sounding, some so common it's almost laughable.

I was very happy when I received this book in the mail. I needed it for a very important presentation I was doing, and it was very informative and very well laid-out. It's also a very credible source of information. I've recommended it to several people.

Do you find yourself at a loss for "cocktail chatter" when you attend parties as part of the "rent-a crowd"? This might help you, but I doubt it. I just can't imagine bringing up Shakespearian inventions in any social setting these days.

I won't repeat what previous reviewers have written. This is simply a clever little book that you will enjoy paging through, reading random entries, while procrastinating to do something more important. Only Shakespearian geeks will truly enjoy it; I read some of it to my highly educated wife and she seemed not interested. I love it.

Coined By Shakespeare: Words & Meanings First Penned By The Bard is the welcome result of lengthy and painstaking research conducted under impeccable standards of scholarship. Readers can also enjoy testing their knowledge of Shakespeare linguistic trivia through a series of quizzes which are interspersed throughout. Coined By Shakespeare is a "must" for all Shakespeare enthusiasts and word buffs.