Why Shakespeare's English Sounds So Strange
"O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou Romeo?" Many people think Juliet is asking where Romeo is. She isn't. Wherefore means "why." She's asking why he has to be a Montague.
That single word shows why Shakespeare can feel so hard to read. Technically, Shakespeare wrote in Early Modern English — the same language we speak. So why does it sound so strange?
Short Answer
Shakespeare wrote in Early Modern English (roughly 1500–1700). It sounds unfamiliar today because of old pronouns (thou, thee), old verb endings (-eth, -est), words whose meanings have changed, different pronunciation, and poetic word order used in verse.
The Counterintuitive Truth: "Thou" Was the Informal Form
Many people think thou sounds formal and grand. In Shakespeare's time, it was often the opposite. Thou was used for close friends, family, children, and inferiors — or to insult someone. You was the polite, respectful form.
So calling someone "thou" could be affectionate or rude. We call this intimacy flip: a word that sounds formal today but was once familiar.
1. Old Pronouns
| Early Modern | Modern | Use |
|---|---|---|
| thou | you (subject, singular informal) | "Thou art kind." |
| thee | you (object) | "I love thee." |
| thy / thine | your / yours | "Thy name," "thine eyes" |
| ye | you (plural, older use) | "Hear ye!" |
Try switching your text in the Shakespeare Translator.
2. Old Verb Endings
- -est with thou: "thou goest," "thou hast"
- -eth for he/she/it: "he speaketh," "she doth" (alongside newer -s forms)
Shakespeare used both -eth and -s — English was in the middle of changing.
3. Words That Changed Meaning
| Word | Shakespeare's meaning | Modern meaning |
|---|---|---|
| wherefore | why | (archaic) |
| anon | soon, shortly | (archaic) |
| presently | immediately | soon |
| naughty | wicked | mildly bad |
| silly | innocent, simple | foolish |
| nice | foolish, precise | pleasant |
| an | if | a / an |
These are false friends in time: words that look familiar but mean something else.
4. Different Pronunciation
Shakespeare's English sounded different. Researchers of Original Pronunciation (OP) reconstruct how words were spoken.
Linguist David Crystal worked with Shakespeare's Globe on OP performances starting in 2004. OP reveals lost rhymes — word pairs that rhymed then but don't now, like love and prove.
5. Verse and Word Order
Shakespeare often wrote in iambic pentameter — ten syllables with alternating stress. To fit the rhythm, he rearranged word order:
- "Was ever woman in this humour wooed?" (Richard III)
Modern prose would say: "Has a woman ever been wooed in this mood?"
Poetry makes normal English sound unusual. It's the same trick Yoda speak uses.
6. Words Shakespeare Popularised
Shakespeare's works contain the earliest recorded uses of many words and phrases in the Oxford English Dictionary, including eyeball, swagger, and bedroom. Scholars debate how many he actually invented versus first recorded, but his influence is undeniable.
Phrases still in use: "break the ice," "wild-goose chase," "heart of gold," "vanish into thin air."
How to Read Shakespeare More Easily
- Watch it performed first. Actors clarify meaning.
- Learn ten key words (thou, art, doth, wherefore, anon…).
- Read aloud. Rhythm helps comprehension.
- Use a glossary.
- Don't translate every word — follow the emotion.
Compare Across Centuries
| Era | Example | Try it |
|---|---|---|
| Old English | "Hwæt!" | Old English Translator |
| Early Modern | "Wherefore art thou…" | Shakespeare Translator |
| Pirate style | "Arr, where be ye?" | Pirate Speak Translator |
See how far English travelled in Old English vs. Modern English.
Bonus: Shakespeare the Programming Language
Shakespeare's style inspired an esoteric programming language where programs look like plays. Try it with the Shakespeare PL Translator.
What Experts Say
David Crystal and Ben Crystal, authors of Shakespeare's Words (2002), argue that only a small percentage of Shakespeare's vocabulary is truly unfamiliar to modern readers. Most of the difficulty comes from a limited set of words and structures — which means it's far more learnable than it seems.
Where Shakespearean English Is Heading
Original Pronunciation performances are growing in popularity worldwide. We predict OP will become a standard option in major Shakespeare productions, helping audiences hear lost rhymes and jokes — and making Shakespeare feel less like a museum piece and more like the popular entertainment it originally was.