Learn English from Shakespeare

Today’s English
April 12th, 2017

Shakespeare, one of the greatest English writers in the history of English literature and language, has contributed plenty of new words, phrases, idioms and grammatical structures to make English more colourful and expressive. Warren King says,, "In all of his work – the plays, the sonnets and the narrative poems – Shakespeare uses 17,677 words: Of those, 1,700 were first used by Shakespeare."

In today’s English, let us try few idioms used by Shakespeare in his works:

1. Good riddance

When you don’t like to talk to someone and feel happy when they leave you, you say goodbye as well as good riddance. The idiom means “glad to get rid of you"

Shall I go now? Good bye and good riddance!
(Taken from Shakespeare’s “Troilus and Cressida” Act 2, scene 1)

2. Mum’s the word.

This idiom can be used when you tell a secret to someone and ask them not to tell that to anybody else.

They have planned to get married next week. Mum’s the word.
Manager won’t be here for a week. He goes abroad. Mum’s the word.
(From Henry VI, Part 2)

3. Parting is such sweet sorrow

When you are attached so much to someone, may be your lover,  wife(most probably newly married), daughter or friend, you talk to them hours together and never like to part with them.  When you say goodnight in such situations, you can use this expression. It’s a famous line by Juliet who talks to Romeo till late at night (almost morning) and says
“Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow,
That I shall say good night till it be morrow” (“Romeo and Juliet” Act II, Scene 2)

Will you call me tomorrow? Sure, when you wake up. Goodnight! Parting is such sweet sorrow.

4. Something is rotten in the state of Denmark.

When more unwanted things such as corruption or political unrest happen in a country or state, we use this expression.

The news – “R.K. Nagar by-poll is cancelled following cash-for-voters allegations” confirms that something is rotten in the state of Denmark.
(From “Hamlet" Act I, Scene 4 )

5. Et tu Brute / You too, Brutus

The phrase actually means “the ultimate betrayal by one’s closest friend” but it can be used humorously to refer to your friend or colleague whom you suspect to play tricks against you. It’s a famous expression used by Caesar when he was unexpectedly stabbed by his close friend Brutus who, a lover of Rome and its freedom has now joined the conspirators. (Julius Caesar, Act III, Scene 1)

Sorry friend, I couldn’t help you yesterday. I had an urgent work.
You, too Brutus.

“Shakespeare is above all writers, at least above all modern writers, and the poet of nature, the poet that holds up his readers a faithful mirror of manners and of life.”
“Preface to Shakespeare” by Dr. Johnson