Shakespearean Imagination

[uniquepov.livejournal.com]

Well met, friends!

It's Wednesday, which means another installment of our new themed posts about Shakespeare and his extensive wordplay. We're delving into words the Bard is credited with coining - at least in as far as their current meanings are concerned!

And as I am literally leaving for the airport as soon as I hit "post", off to far-flung, far-off lands, it seems only fitting that today's Shakespearean Imagination word of the day should be:

luggage : lug·gage : \ˈlə-gij\ (n): something that is lugged; especially: suitcases for a traveler's belongings.

Synonyms: baggage - trunk - valise

The Oxford English Dictionary says that the word's meaning hasn't changed much since the 16th century; the original meaning denoted inconveniently heavy baggage.

First seen in Shakespeare's King Henry IV, Part I (written 1597-1598). The full text of the play may be found here.

Cheers until next week!

Comments

[temperance14.livejournal.com]

I surprised me when I first heard Henry V, when they discover the damage done behind the lines by French troops,

"Kill the poys [boys] and the luggage! 'tis expressly
against the law of arms: 'tis as arrant a piece of
knavery..."

Whenever I hears a presentation of this play, almost every actor as Fluellen pushes "and the LUGgage!"
Makes it sound as if Fluellen is more distraught over the luggage than the slaughter of the luggage-boys.
Well, perhaps it was Samsonite.

[theidolhands.livejournal.com]

lol~!

And thanks for another great word, did not realize "luggage" was Shakespeare.

See also: emotional baggage

[theidolhands.livejournal.com]

Please be aware that in an attempt to streamline the tags, and to make words easier to find, your journal name is now listed under, "wordsmith: uniquepov"