×
GreekEnglish

×
  • Politics
  • Diaspora
  • World
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Cooking
Tuesday
08
Sep 2026
weather symbol
Athens 27°C
  • Home
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • World
  • Diaspora
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Culture
  • Sports
  • Mediterranean Cooking
  • Weather
Contact follow Protothema:
Powered by Cloudevo
> Culture

How Shakespeare changed the English language

The great playwright coined many phrases

Newsroom April 22 07:09

Δείτε περισσότερα άρθρα μας στα αποτελέσματα αναζήτησης

Add Protothema.gr on Google

Many phrases the English playwright coined have stood the test of time—some 400 years after his death.

William Shakespeare had a way with words that helped shape the way we now speak English.

The 400th anniversary of his death, on April 23, 2016 is approaching Saturday and the English playwright’s impact on common speech can still be heard today. Many of the phrases he coined are used by those who haven’t even read his works.

The line “all that glitters is not gold,” for instance, is Shakespearean, coming from the 1596 play The Merchant of Venice.

Some phrases are clearly attributable to Shakespearean drama, like the famous “all the world’s a stage…” or the infamous line from Julias Caesar“friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.”

>Related articles

Hydra: Gallery Miranda returns home

Parthenon Sculptures: The British Museum lends the stolen pieces to the Germans

Dub Inc: The French reggae band is coming to Athens for a concert

Others, however, can slip in and out of daily conversation without much thought, like “good riddance,” “a sorry sight,” or “in a pickle.”

English was still being standardised when Shakespeare wrote his plays, so many of his phrases became a part of the lexicon, standing the test of time.

Source: Time

Ask me anything

Explore related questions

> More Culture

Follow en.protothema.gr on Google News and be the first to know all the news

See all the latest News from Greece and the World, the moment they happen, at en.protothema.gr

> Latest Stories

Skydiver survives freefall over Nottingham after mid-air collision

September 8, 2026

Greek-American matchmaker charges $5,000 a month to find love in New York

September 8, 2026

Greek workers and pensioners set for wage and pension boosts after Thessaloniki Fair pledges

September 8, 2026

Mass deportations, schools without Pride and “patriotic” art: AfD’s vision for Germany

September 8, 2026

The imprint left by the Fair, the New Democracy “ingrate”, the Greek mega fund manager and Alexis’s Nephilim, developers’ anxiety, and news from the shipowners ///

September 8, 2026

US Navy SEALs spent four months secretly clearing Iranian mines from the Strait of Hormuz

September 8, 2026

Trump wants ‘Nazi’ and ‘Star Wars’-Inspired uniforms for U.S. space force

September 7, 2026

Greek Real Estate 2026: “Bubble” or Market Maturation?

September 7, 2026
All News

> Greece

In reverence, the emotional deposition in Jerusalem, see photos & video

The Holy Temple of the Resurrection opened after many days due to the war between Israel and Iran

April 10, 2026

In the final stretch for the accreditation of joint master’s degrees: Aiming for their launch in the coming academic year

April 10, 2026

Schedule for Epitaph Procession today (10/4)

April 10, 2026

Perfect weather for Easter excursions, according to Tsatrafyllia’s forecast

April 10, 2026

Easter in Greece: The customs that continue in Greek tradition – From Nafpaktos to Corfu

April 10, 2026
Homepage
PERSONAL DATA PROTECTION POLICY COOKIES POLICY TERM OF USE
Powered by Cloudevo
Copyright © 2026 Πρώτο Θέμα