Yeah yeah yeah, Shakespeare invented a bunch of words.
No, wait, he’s just the first documented use of those words.
No, wait, he was the first to use certain words in certain parts of speech.
Here’s another variation to add to the discussion : words that meant something entirely different to Shakespeare when he used them.
My favorite example is “bedroom.” Hey, did you know Shakespeare invented the word bedroom?
“No, actually. What Shakespeare meant by bedroom wasn’t the room where you keep the bed. What he meant was actual room *in* the bed, like elbow room. Lysander says it to Hermia.”
“Oh, and by the way, did you know Shakespeare invented the word elbow?”
🙂
He certainly invented the character Elbow . . .
kj