Authorisms: Words Wrought by WritersAn entertaining, illuminating lexicography of words coined by authors throughout the ages, published on the “sesquiquadricentennial” (450th anniversary) of Shakespeare's birth. William Shakespeare's written vocabulary consisted of 17,245 words, including hundreds that were coined or popularized by him. Some of the words never went further than their appearance in his plays, but others-like bedazzled, hurry, critical, and anchovy-are essential parts of our standard vocabulary today. Many other famous and lesser-known writers have contributed to the popular lexicon. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, Sir Walter Scott ranks second to Shakespeare in first uses of words and giving a new and distinct meaning to already existing words (Free Lances for freelancers). John Milton minted such terms as earthshaking, lovelorn, by hook or crook, and all Hell broke loose, and was responsible for introducing some 630 words. Gifted lexicographer Paul Dickson deftly sorts through neologisms by Chaucer (a ha), Jane Austen (base ball), Louisa May Alcott (co-ed), Mark Twain (hard-boiled), Kurt Vonnegut (granfalloon), John le Carrč (mole), William Gibson (cyberspace), and many others. Presenting stories behind each word and phrase, Dickson enriches our appreciation of the English language in a book as entertaining as it is enlightening. |
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Common terms and phrases
adjective American author American writer appears Bard become blend Boston British C. S. Lewis called century character Charles coinage Coined by American Coined by Shakespeare coined the term coined the word common created by American creation debut demonym describe editor English language eponym essay essayist eucatastrophe Fnord Gene Weingarten Google Greek H. L. Mencken Henry human humorist introduced invented J. R. R. Tolkien James Fenimore Jeffrey McQuain John journalist Joyce later Lewis Carroll literary magazine Mary Cowden Clarke McQuain and Stanley Merriam-Webster metaphor Milton modern MONDEGREEN neologism nonce words noun novel original Orwell's Oxford English Dictionary person play poem poet political popular published referred satirical sense Shakespeare Key slang social Stanley Malless story term coined Term created term was coined things tion Tom Wolfe verb William Shakespeare Word coined word created Word Study word word words and phrases wrote York