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November 14, 2005
The Simpsons vs. Shakespeare: a neological battle to the death
It's an oft quoted truthitude that Shakespeare contributed a large number of new words to the English language. One website I found claims that the bard created as many as 1700 of these neologisms.
And, you know, that's great--believe me, I don't know how I'd get through my days without words like besmirch, madcap, and skim milk. While I think many of the 1700 claimed coinages are probably suspect, I'm sure you'll be relieved to hear that my sources (i.e. the OED) indicate that "skim milk" did indeed make its first known print appearance in Henry IV, Part 1 (II.iii.36).
But enough of Shakespeare. I mean, we all love our madcap skim milk, but is it cromulent? And why is it that the great man didn't mention Scotchtoberfest even once during the entire length of Macbeth, the so-called "Scottish play"? While Shakespeare was undoubtably a Double-Bacon Geniusburger of the highest order, a lot of his words just seem craptacular when compared with the groin-grabbingly transcendent contributions made to English language by The Simpsons.
You really need to check the list out yourself. Otherwise you'll never truly understand words like dickety and beginulate, you'll miss out on complex medical terms like assal horizontology and juggler's despair--and nevermind comprehending the subtle nuances of zuh? and meh.
I'm telling you, this is the future of the English language...
Posted by edmond at November 14, 2005 09:06 PM
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