Friday, December 27, 2019
How to Understand Shakespeares Words
For many, language is the biggest barrier to understanding Shakespeare. Perfectly competent performers can be paralyzed with fear when they see bizarre words like ââ¬Å"Methinksâ⬠and ââ¬Å"Peradventureâ⬠ââ¬â something we call Shakespearaphobia. As a way of trying to counter this natural anxiety, we often begin by telling new students or performers that speaking Shakespeare aloud isnââ¬â¢t like learning a new language ââ¬âitââ¬â¢s more like listening to a strong accent and your ear soon adjusts to the new dialect. Very soon you are able to understand most of what is said. Even if you are confused about some words and phrases, you should still be able to pick up meaning from the context and the visual signals you receive from the speaker. Watch how quickly children pick up accents and new language when on holiday. This is evidence of how adaptable we are to new ways of speaking. The same is true of Shakespeare and the best antidote for Shakespearaphobia is to sit back, relax and listen to the text spoken and performed. Modern Translations at a Glance Here are modern translations of the top 10 most common Shakespearian words and phrases. Thee, Thou, Thy and Thine (You and Your) Itââ¬â¢s a common myth that Shakespeare never uses the words ââ¬Å"youâ⬠and ââ¬Å"yourâ⬠ââ¬â actually, these words are commonplace in his plays. However, he also uses the words ââ¬Å"thee / thouâ⬠instead of ââ¬Å"youâ⬠and the word ââ¬Å"thy / thineâ⬠instead of ââ¬Å"yourâ⬠. Sometimes he uses both ââ¬Å"youâ⬠and ââ¬Å"thyâ⬠in the same speech. This is simply because in Tudor England the older generation said ââ¬Å"theeâ⬠and ââ¬Å"thyâ⬠to denote a status or reverence for authority. Therefore when addressing a king the older ââ¬Å"thouâ⬠and ââ¬Å"thyâ⬠would be used, leaving the newer ââ¬Å"youâ⬠and ââ¬Å"yourâ⬠for more informal occasions. Soon after Shakespeareââ¬â¢s lifetime, the older form passed away!Art (Are) The same is true of ââ¬Å"artâ⬠, meaning ââ¬Å"areâ⬠. So a sentence beginning ââ¬Å"thou artâ⬠simply means â⬠Å"You areâ⬠.Ay (Yes) ââ¬Å"Ayâ⬠simply means ââ¬Å"yesâ⬠. So, ââ¬Å"Ay, My Ladyâ⬠simply means ââ¬Å"Yes, My Lady.â⬠Would (Wish) Although the word ââ¬Å"wishâ⬠does appear in Shakespeare, like when Romeo says ââ¬Å"I wish I were a cheek upon that hand,â⬠we often find ââ¬Å"wouldâ⬠used instead. For example, ââ¬Å"I would I were â⬠¦Ã¢â¬ means ââ¬Å"I wish I wereâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ Give Me Leave To (Allow Me To) ââ¬Å"To give me leave toâ⬠, simply means ââ¬Å"To allow me toâ⬠.Alas (Unfortunately) ââ¬Å"Alasâ⬠is a very common word that isnââ¬â¢t used today. It simply means ââ¬Å"unfortunatelyâ⬠, but in modern English, there isnââ¬â¢t an exact equivalent.Adieu (Goodbye) ââ¬Å"Adieuâ⬠simply means ââ¬Å"Goodbyeâ⬠.Sirrah (Sir) ââ¬Å"Sirrahâ⬠means ââ¬Å"Sirâ⬠or ââ¬Å"Misterâ⬠.-eth Sometimes the endings of Shakespearian words sound alien even though the root of the word is famil iar. For example ââ¬Å"speakethâ⬠simply means ââ¬Å"speakâ⬠and ââ¬Å"sayethâ⬠means ââ¬Å"sayâ⬠.Donââ¬â¢t, Do, and Did A key absence from Shakespearian English is ââ¬Å"donââ¬â¢tâ⬠. This word simply wasnââ¬â¢t around then. So, if you said ââ¬Å"donââ¬â¢t be afraidâ⬠to a friend in Tudor England, you would have said, ââ¬Å"be not afeard.â⬠Where today we would say ââ¬Å"donââ¬â¢t hurt me,â⬠Shakespeare would have said, ââ¬Å"hurt me not.â⬠The words ââ¬Å"doâ⬠and ââ¬Å"didâ⬠were also uncommon, so rather than saying ââ¬Å"what did he look like?â⬠Shakespeare would have said, ââ¬Å"what looked he like?â⬠And instead of ââ¬Å"did she stay long?â⬠Shakespeare would have said, ââ¬Å"stayed she long?â⬠This difference accounts for the unfamiliar word order in some Shakespearian sentences. It is important to note that when Shakespeare was alive, language was in a state of flux and many modern words were being integrated into the language for the first time. Shakespeare himself coined many new words and phrases. Shakespeareââ¬â¢s language is, therefore, a mixture of the old and the new.
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