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Replies | Post Reply | Shakespeare Queries & Replies From Everyone Else 4.2.97: Top | Help
I'm an expert on English Language only in that I'm a
writer, and so an expert (I hope) is using the English
Language. As far as the history of the language is concerned
I'm just an interested bystander. As a communicator, I know that
the last thing you do is confuse your audience by using words
they don't understand. Many modern students dislike Shakespeare
because he uses unfamilar words, and I suspect that his contemporary
audiences would be turned off too if they had to face equally
unfamilar words.Actually, what you have written reminds me of the story
of the word "Quiz". Way back in the eighteenth century,
two men disagreed about whether or not it was possible to
introduce a completely new word into the language. The one who
said it was possible was challenged by his friend to do just
that, for a bet of 50 pounds. So, in the middle of the night,
the man went round the city (I believe this happened in Dublin,
Ireland) chalking up the word "QUIZ" on every blank wall he saw.
The next morning, as the citizens went about their business, they
saw this word "QUIZ" everywhere they looked. Before long, everyone
in the city was talking about it. The newspapers ran articles
entitled "What is Quiz?" And very soon the word "QUIZ" became applied
to any unsolved mystery. (Later, of course, the word also became
applied to games involving answering questions, but that's another
story...)Oh, yes, he won his bet, by the way.
Posted by Thersites on April 18, 1997 at 00:56:17
In Reply to "but isn't it possible..." posted by Rachel Mort on April 17, 1997 at 11:11:56
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