Words, words, words.....

hi there!


Hamlet responds with this answer in Act 3 of Hamlet when Polonius, in an attempt to make conversation with the Danish prince, asks him "what do you read, my lord?" I still laugh at this line each year when I teach the play to my seniors. Part of me laughs because it is a funny line, and part of me laughs because I am relieved to only have two more acts to read with a roomful of kids who would rather be getting chemotherapy than reading Shakespeare.

I love Shakespeare for his witticism, sharpness, and economy of language--one of my very first blogs (if you have been hanging out since the inception of Goldsmith5) was entitled (after famous Shakespeare line) "Brevity is the soul of wit...."

Here are some cool words Billy Shakes is credited with inventing (note though, that back then, in the 1500s, it was hard NOT to invent new words....since the English alphabet was still young....but, these interesting words and phrases have stood the test of time...)

*He coined the phrase "elbowroom" (when talking about people being to close together)
*He first used "hot tempered" (to describe a person who "flew off the handle" easily)
*Invented the term "catch a cold" (to describe how a person becomes sick)
*First used the word "bedroom" (before that, people retired to their "closets"
*Created the mystique of the "green eyed monster" (a popular thing to haunt children's bedrooms)

Also, Shakespeare both invented the WORD and the game of "leapfrog".....but, I suppose if you get enough guys in enough tights, then that game sort of just manifests itself. So.........

PART II: SHAKESPEARE MAKES ME WANT TO BE PUNNY

That is right....punny. As in a play on words. Here are a few I've created (if they exist other places, I have never heard them...I am freestylin' my pun skillz

1. "What do I want to do with my life?? Well, off the top of my head, I'd say I'd like to cut hair"
2. Whenever I have time to kill, I enjoy hunting
3. I love to eat seafood....I sometimes eat steak, but its rare
4. Currently, I am studying the flow of rivers
5. I used to deliver goats fora living....just kidding.

Shakespeare was a genius at using puns. Some other time I will go into detail about them.

I was talking to a colleague of mine today about the nature of "jokes" and comedy (I teach a comedy unit in my speech class). We both agreed that, sometimes, the punchline--on its own--is as funny (if not funnier) than the whole of the joke. For example:

1. And the doctor said "RECTUM?? It dam near killed him!"
2. So the moral of the story is: Never believe a Brit when he says the check is in the mail
3. Because Pygmies are cunning runts
4. "Hey," said the club manager, "I thought you said you wanted a six inch pianist!"
5. And the guy said "okay....so where's this Pit Bull with the sore tooth?"
6. That's great for you, but what about all my tongue depressors????
7. Forget about visiting Tobego, I need to a facial!
8. Because they both have pits....
9. And the train conductor said "well, I pity the fool who gets off in Shoboygin!"


AND THEN, OF COURSE, THERE ARE THE "BUT I DONT EVEN KNOW HER!!!!" THINGS...

whopper with cheese
three hole puncher
iced tea pitcher
rear defogger
doberman pincher
Grammar
poultry deboner


i like words.