The term paper provides a linguistic analysis of Shakespeare's coinages, based on the example of Macbeth. The analysis will focus on his three major word formation strategies: compounding, derivation and conversion.
When dealing with language in the Early Modern English period, there is hardly any way around the exploration of Shakespeare's works and his innovative lexical creativity. Not only is Shakespeare known for being one of the most productive writers of his time, he is also responsible for coining a number of lexical variations that still stick with us today. His gift for elevating the ordinary through lexical innovation and rhetoric ingenuity is the reason why his reputation as a pioneer of English literature and language remains unchallenged today.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Lexis in the Early Modern English period
2.1 The expanding lexicon
2.2 Shakespeare and the OED
3. Word formation in Macbeth
3.1 Compounding
3.2 Derivation
3.3 Conversion
4. Neologisms in the word field of blood, crime and murder
5. Conclusion
6. Bibliography
7. Online References
Objectives and Research Focus
This paper examines Shakespeare's linguistic creativity and his lexical innovations within the play Macbeth. The primary research goal is to investigate how Shakespeare utilized specific word-formation strategies to enhance the dramatic atmosphere, specifically focusing on the thematic word field of blood, crime, and murder.
- Analysis of lexical productivity in the Early Modern English period.
- Examination of Shakespeare’s role and representation within the Oxford English Dictionary (OED).
- Detailed study of word-formation processes: compounding, derivation, and conversion.
- Evaluation of how neologisms contribute to the portrayal of the characters' psychological states and the tragic progression of the play.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Compounding
As it was said before, compounding was highly productive in order to create new words in Elizabethan English. Therefore, it is no surprise that we find a high number of Shakespearean compounds in Macbeth. One of Shakespeare's frequently used pattern is the creation of nouns, either by combining two nouns (N+N) or a verb and a noun (V+N). Table 1a shows examples of nominal compounds in Macbeth that, according to the OED, first appear in the play and have not been documented in any text before. The actual number of Shakespearean compounds in the play is higher than the list indicates. However, due to the narrowed field of examination to the word field of crime, blood and murder, some compounds like demi-wolf, half-world and hedge-pig are ignored here.
Neither in Modern English nor in the sixteenth century do we find fixed rules for the orthographic presentation. Compounds can be represented by two separate words, by hyphenation or so-called closed compounds, which appear as only one word (Franz 1939: 146; Plag 2015: 101). As we can see in Table 1a and 1b, Shakespearean compounds are most likely to be represented by hyphenation, like in be-all and end-all. The linguistic features of compounds are similar to those of non-compounds, which means they have a meaning and form on their own and are grammatically not to be separated into their two elements (Nevalainen 2006: 60). Furthermore, it is common that the head of the compound determines the grammatical category (Plag 2015: 105). As for the meaning, the first element commonly describes the latter.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter introduces Shakespeare's linguistic creativity and outlines the research objective, which is to analyze lexical coinages in Macbeth within the context of the Early Modern English period.
2. Lexis in the Early Modern English period: This section provides the historical background of English language development, covering vocabulary growth, standardisation, and Shakespeare's specific usage of the OED for analyzing his innovations.
3. Word formation in Macbeth: This main part of the analysis details Shakespeare's strategies of compounding, derivation, and conversion used to create new lexical items in the play.
4. Neologisms in the word field of blood, crime and murder: This chapter explores the intentional use of neologisms to create atmosphere, reflect the characters' mental states, and accentuate the play's tragic themes.
5. Conclusion: The conclusion summarizes how Shakespeare's masterful manipulation of word-formation processes elevates ordinary language to effectively convey the dark themes of Macbeth.
6. Bibliography: Contains the list of academic sources and references consulted for the study.
7. Online References: Lists the specific digital sources, primarily the OED, utilized for data extraction.
Keywords
Shakespeare, Macbeth, Early Modern English, Lexical Innovation, Neologisms, Word Formation, Compounding, Derivation, Conversion, OED, Linguistic Creativity, Drama, Semantics, Etymology, Language Change
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this paper?
The paper focuses on the lexical creativity of William Shakespeare, specifically analyzing the neologisms he created for his tragedy, Macbeth.
What are the central thematic fields explored?
The central thematic fields are blood, crime, and murder, which Shakespeare emphasizes through specific linguistic inventions.
What is the central research question?
The work aims to answer how Shakespeare's invented expressions function within the play, what atmosphere they convey, and how they contribute to the tragic line of action.
Which scientific methods are employed?
The study utilizes a linguistic analysis of Shakespeare's word formation strategies (compounding, derivation, conversion) using the Oxford English Dictionary as the primary reference tool.
What does the main part of the work cover?
The main part covers the historical context of Early Modern English, a technical breakdown of word-formation processes in Macbeth, and an interpretative analysis of how these words shape the play's meaning.
Which keywords characterize this study?
Key terms include Shakespearean neologisms, word-formation, lexical innovation, Early Modern English, and linguistic creativity in drama.
How does Shakespeare use compounding in Macbeth?
Shakespeare uses compounding to create concise, poetic descriptors, often combining nouns or verbs to form new meanings that fit the specific rhythm and atmosphere of the play.
What is the significance of the prefix 'un-' in Shakespeare's usage?
The prefix 'un-' is used for negation or to indicate the absence of a quality, allowing Shakespeare to intensify the dramatic contrast between states, such as 'sex' versus 'unsex'.
- Quote paper
- Maren Galetke (Author), 2020, Advancing the Word Field of Blood, Crime and Murder. Shakespeare's Lexical Innovation in Macbeth, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1185296
