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http://www-math.cudenver.edu/~wbriggs/qr/Shakespeare.html
"Shakespeare knew approximately 66,534 words - There were 31,534 words that Shakespeare knew and used and approximately 35,000 words that he knew but didn't use"
This is one of my questions where someone found the answer for me already - Ashok kumar J
Wiki User
∙ 14y ago
Wiki User
∙ 9y agoIt all depends on how you count them. He uses close to 30,000 in the plays alone, including proper names. There were probably a lot more that he understood but didn't use (what is known as "passive vocabulary").
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoThat's impossible to know, however it is suspected that he invented around 1,700 words himself. This includes the word watchdog which is commonly used today.
Wiki User
∙ 11y agoAccording to David Crystal, about twenty thousand.
Wiki User
∙ 8y agoCoincidentally this very question came up on a TV quiz I was watching.
The best estimate is about 20,000
Wiki User
∙ 14y agoAt the minimum of 28,250 words.
Wiki User
∙ 12y ago692 fat
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Why does Shakespeare make up words?
Famously, he is the first person to use the word "assassination" in print. He created many words, not all of which have caught on and become part of our vocabulary. "Superflux" is one of my favourites.
What famous writer of mythology did shakespeare discover in his childhood and ultimayely use as an inspiration in writing many of his plays?
Ovid. Many of Shakespeare's plays were adaptations of other works of literature, particularly those of Ovid.
What are some details about Shakespeare's plays?
Shakespeare included both early modern English and iambic pentameter in his writings. He also created a lot of the words we use today.
How many of the 31435 words Shakespeare used do we still use today?
Almost all of the words Shakespeare used are still in common use today. To test this out, take a passage out of one of Shakespeare's plays or sonnets and type it into your word processor. Very few of the words will be marked by the spellchecker and these will mostly be either proper names and unusual contractions of words which are in common use, like e'en for even. The difficulty some people have with Shakespeare's words lies in the fact that most people have a much smaller vocabulary than Shakespeare had. Some people get by with as few as 5000 words, one-sixth of what Shakespeare used, which 5000 include a bunch that Shakespeare did not use. If Shakespeare seems to use a lot of words you don't know it is because you don't know enough words. There is a second difficulty people encounter with Shakespeare's words, which is that he sometimes uses common words with unexpected meanings. Usually these meanings are still there but they are secondary and we don't think about them or know them. So when he has Hamlet talk about "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune", he means sling like a slingshot not something you use to hold a broken arm and fortune meaning luck not fortune meaning a pile of money. Nevertheless all seven words in the quotation are in common use today.
What two names did shakespeare use the most in his plays?
Yes he did.
How many words did Williams shakespeare use and how many do they use today?
shakespeare used 31534 words and we use over 60, 000
Why does Shakespeare make up words?
Famously, he is the first person to use the word "assassination" in print. He created many words, not all of which have caught on and become part of our vocabulary. "Superflux" is one of my favourites.
What famous writer of mythology did shakespeare discover in his childhood and ultimayely use as an inspiration in writing many of his plays?
Ovid. Many of Shakespeare's plays were adaptations of other works of literature, particularly those of Ovid.
What are some details about Shakespeare's plays?
Shakespeare included both early modern English and iambic pentameter in his writings. He also created a lot of the words we use today.
Did William shakespeare use men and women for his plays?
No, women were not on his plays.
How many words did Shakespeare know and use and how did he invent them?
none what so ever
How many of the 31534 words Shakespeare used do we still use today?
Almost all of the words Shakespeare used are still in common use today. To test this out, take a passage out of one of Shakespeare's plays or sonnets and type it into your word processor. Very few of the words will be marked by the spellchecker and these will mostly be either proper names and unusual contractions of words which are in common use, like e'en for even. The difficulty some people have with Shakespeare's words lies in the fact that most people have a much smaller vocabulary than Shakespeare had. Some people get by with as few as 5000 words, one-sixth of what Shakespeare used, which 5000 include a bunch that Shakespeare did not use. If Shakespeare seems to use a lot of words you don't know it is because you don't know enough words. There is a second difficulty people encounter with Shakespeare's words, which is that he sometimes uses common words with unexpected meanings. Usually these meanings are still there but they are secondary and we don't think about them or know them. So when he has Hamlet talk about "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune", he means sling like a slingshot not something you use to hold a broken arm and fortune meaning luck not fortune meaning a pile of money. Nevertheless all seven words in the quotation are in common use today.
How many of the 31435 words Shakespeare used do we still use today?
Almost all of the words Shakespeare used are still in common use today. To test this out, take a passage out of one of Shakespeare's plays or sonnets and type it into your word processor. Very few of the words will be marked by the spellchecker and these will mostly be either proper names and unusual contractions of words which are in common use, like e'en for even. The difficulty some people have with Shakespeare's words lies in the fact that most people have a much smaller vocabulary than Shakespeare had. Some people get by with as few as 5000 words, one-sixth of what Shakespeare used, which 5000 include a bunch that Shakespeare did not use. If Shakespeare seems to use a lot of words you don't know it is because you don't know enough words. There is a second difficulty people encounter with Shakespeare's words, which is that he sometimes uses common words with unexpected meanings. Usually these meanings are still there but they are secondary and we don't think about them or know them. So when he has Hamlet talk about "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune", he means sling like a slingshot not something you use to hold a broken arm and fortune meaning luck not fortune meaning a pile of money. Nevertheless all seven words in the quotation are in common use today.
How do you use Shakespeare in a sentence?
Is your name Shakespeare? Is there a William Shakespeare in the house? Shakespeare was a famous playwright. Shakespeare wrote many plays, including Julius Caesar, Anthony and Cleopatra and The Merchant of Venice. Hey, Shakespeare, your taxi's here. If you're William Shakespeare I'm a monkey's uncle.
Why are Shakespeare's plays still in use?
Shakespeare's plays are probably the best plays ever written. They continue to be extremely popular among audiences and actors. Many actors will make incredible sacrifices just to say those amazing lines Shakespeare wrote. Asking this question is like asking "Why is gold and diamond jewellery still in use when we can make jewellery out of plastic?"
What style of writing did shakespeare use in his plays?
blank verse
What is a good website to study Shakespeare's plays?
I use Sparknotes.com
