[Lexicog] Re: Shakespeare's contribution

[Hayim Sheynin]

Fritz,

Your question is very interesting one and probably of generic nature. I mean
that similar questions can be asked about lexical and phraseology  contribution 
to any language. For example the less known for Western linguists Russian language received an enormous contribution at the end of the 18th century and the first part of 19th century not only from German and French languages (lexical borrowing, but also from  particular writers. Probably  Nikolai Karamzin (1766-1826), a historian and a writer, contributed  a greatest number  of Russian  neologisms  and coinages, while Denis Fonvizin (von Wisien, 1744-1792) and especially A.S. Griboedov (1795-1829) contributed a greatest number of locutions, phrases, etc. I would say that in the case of the last two the reason was that they had sharp mind (i.e. they were quick-witted people) and their formulations were les mots d'esprit (witticisms). Their witticisms came to Russian language mostly from the comedies.

Following this observation and going back to Shakespeare, it is interesting to learn what percentage of Shakespeare's coinages is coming from his comedies and what portion from the tragedies. I doubt that any of them are coming from his poetry. Do Russian examples work for Shakespeare in this case?

As to similar analysis for Hebrew language, there is no doubt that the greatest amount of new use is coming  from the Bible, but  in the Inter-testamental and   Rabbinic periods there were great contributions in Mishna, Talmud and other Rabbinic writing. 
In the modern period the major contributor of new words was Eliezer Ben-Yehudah (Perelman, 1858-1922), Hebrew writer and lexicographer, while  some lexemes and many phrases were contributed by Hayim Nahman Bialik 
(1873-1934), greatest modern Hebrew poet. However the nature of Hebrew neologisms differs significantly from the cases of English and Russian. Hebrew
contributions served revival of Hebrew from the dead, while both English and Russian were spoken languages.

Hayim Y. Sheynin
 
Fritz Goerling <Fritz_Goerling at sil.org> wrote:                                          
  Just a rhetorical question: Why have so many of Shakespeare’s sayings, expressions and phrases entered the English language?
   
  Fritz Goerling
  
 I truly would like to see uncovered an expression from a local-
 yokel with the cogency, efficiency, and elegance of "Friends, Romans, 
 countrymen, lend me your ears." I would like to read that person's 
 autobiography. 
 
 Scott Nelson
 
 
 
  
      
     
                       

       Fussy? Opinionated? Impossible to please? Perfect.  Join Yahoo!'s user panel and lay it on us.http://us.rd.yahoo.com/evt=48516/*http://surveylink.yahoo.com/gmrs/yahoo_panel_invite.asp?a=7 hot CTA = Join Yahoo!'s user panel
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://listserv.linguistlist.org/pipermail/lexicography/attachments/20070523/dd9234e7/attachment.htm>