Creativity Central [Marty Baker]

Shakespeare is a right of passage for virtually every student and not always a welcome one.  The language is aracane and unfamiliar.  But it is this language -- florabundant and ingenious that continues to fascinate.

In his collected works, he used over 21,000 separate words.  And of these he invented nearly one of twelve – approximately 1800 words and phrases.  No doubt, He was he world’s premier rap artist. It is a remarkable feat of wordsmithing – even with the understanding that some of the words were simply the earliest attestations or variations of words in common usage.

Here are just a few: 

Addiction

Advertising

Amazement

Barefaced

Bedroom

Cold-blooded

Disgraceful

Domineering

Employer

Eyeball

Fortune-teller

Frugal

Inauspicious

Lackluster

Malignancy

New-fangled

Premeditated

Puking

Satisfying

Sanctimonious

Squabble

Vulnerable

Watchdog

Widowed

Zany

Creativity is about finding new dresses for old passions – recombining ideas and motifs.

The Urban Dictionary is a great resource for creative additions to the language – like “selfie”   -- a self-photo taken at arm’s length intended for Facebook or other media uploads.

Or “wowthritis.” It’s the gnarled shape of your hands and arms after playing several hours and/or days of World of Warcraft.   "Arab Spring" and "mumpreneur" are among the new words and phrases that have entered the latest edition of a major dictionary.

So today, take a short break and invent your own word. As Shakespeare would say, "zany."  Use it, spread it, publish it.  It’s a creative act worthy of the Bard.

Looking for a quick read  the DNA of a Sonnet?  Click here for Baker's take:  http://tinyurl.com/8rkqkuz