Shakespeare's Language: A Glossary of Unfamiliar Words in His Plays and Poems » (REV)

It is said that England and America are two nations separated by a common language, and nowhere is that more true than in our dealings with the Bard. Rife with arcane references, unfamiliar expressions, and even made-up words, Shakespeare's texts can intimidate even the most learned reader. Here in one comprehensive volume, Shakespeare's ornate and sometimes bewildering language is made easy to understand. Shakespeare's Language is an invaluable desktop resource for anyone interested in making sense of one of the world's greatest playwrights.

The 15,000 entries comprising Shakespeare's Language feature:
Definitions of words as they are used in the texts
A quote placing each defined word or phrase in context, so you can be sure of its correct usage
Geographical references, historical and mythological figures, and foreign-language expressions.

Library Journal

Shewmaker, a retired editor of reference books with a background in drama, aims here to define succinctly and in a basic way over 15,000 words found in Shakespeare's plays and poetry. Every entry includes an in-context quotation showing how the word or phrase was used by Shakespeare. Though many of the work's entries are also found in such standard reference sets as the Oxford English Dictionary and/or C.T. Onion's A Shakespeare Glossary (Oxford Univ. Pr., 1986. rev. ed.), it is unique enough in its coverage that libraries supporting Shakespeare studies will want to consider it. "Mixed," for example, is not even included in Onion's glossary, and Shewmaker includes more geographical/ mythological entries than Onion. This set is more accessible than the other two because its intended audience is the general reader rather than the specialist. Students will prefer it over Onion's sometimes arcane work and the large, heavy, often fairly technical, and multivolumed OED.Peter A. Dollard, Alma Coll. Lib., Mt. Pleasant, Mich.