[Lexicog] The influence of Shakespeare on the English language (was: Onomatopoeia)

[Fritz Goerling]

Scott,

 

You seem to be quite knowledgeable about Shakespeare, so the following
information about the bard's influence on the English language might not be
new to you but to others on the list.

http://shakespeare.about.com/library/weekly/aa042400a.htm

It is incredible how creative people can enrich a language. MartinLuther,
through his Bible translation had a similar influence on German. Who can
name other writers, poets, translators who had a significant influence on
their language by coining new words and expressions?

 

Fritz Goerling

 

 

Ken & Mike: I would mark it as an interjection, if you're following the
eight parts of speech. In a reference work it could be put in the category
of "notes" or "background" or "pronunciation" or "rhetorical type".
Interestingly, speaking of "Roof, roof!" as you did, it sounds a little like
two of Ariel's songs in The Tempest 1.2.377-389; 399-407 (Signet Edition)
that uses a lot of reduplicative devices: including onomatopoeism, rhyme,
alliteration, and assonance (and doggie-speak). Note the coinages attributed
to Shakespeare in the passages ("watchdogs" (385) & "a sea change" (404)) 

                          

                           Ariel's song

 

          Come unto these yellow sands, 

               And then take hands. 

          Curtsied when you have and kissed 

               The wild saves whist, 

          Foot it featly here and there;

          And, sweet sprites, the burden bear. 

               Hark, hark!

 

Burden, dispersedly. Bow, wow!

        &! nbsp;      The watchdogs bark. 

 

Burden, dispersedly. Bow, wow!

               Hark, hark! I hear 

               The strain of strutting chanticleer 

                    Cry cock-a-diddle-dow.   (Signet)       ;     

 

 

Kissed.whist** when you have, through the harmony of kissing in the dance,
kissed the wild waves into silence (?) when you have kissed in the dance,
the wild waves being silenced (?)  (Signet) 

Whist = being hushed  (Riverside) || silent, quiet, hushed  (C.T. Onions)

Featly = nimbly  (Riverside) || with graceful agility; nimbly ! ; (C.T.
Onions) 

the burden bear = bear the burden, i.e. the bass undersong.  (Riverside)

Burden, dispersedly.= an undersong, coming from all parts of the stage; it
imitates the barking of dogs and perhaps at the end of the crowing of a cock
(Signet)  

 

 

     The Tempest 1.02.399-407 

 &nbs! p; 

                Ariel's song.

 

     Full fathom five thy father lies;

     Of his bones are coral made;

     Those are pearls that were his eyes;

     Nothing of him that doth fade

     But doth suffer a sea change 

     Into something rich and strange. 

     Sea nymphs hourly ring his knell:

     Burden. Ding-dong.

     Hark! Now I hear them -- ding-dong bell.  (Signetg)

 

 

     fadom (Riverside Edition) = fathom (Riverside)

 

Onomatopoeia, of course, falls within the general category of linguistics,
with the Oxford American Dictionary's definition of 'phonology':  1) the
branch of linguistics that deals with systems of sounds (including or
excluding phonetics), esp. in a particular language.  2) the system of
relationships among the speech sounds that constitute the fundamental
components of a language. Ken, I think the answer to your question depends
on the type of reference work you're dealing with, and the depth of
information you wish to include in it. 

 

Scott Nelson 






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