Is it true that Shakespeare created his own words?

It's not true that Shakespeare *created* entirely new words, but he was a master at coining new words and phrases and giving existing words new meanings.

Here's why:

* Language is constantly evolving. Words are borrowed, adapted, and combined to express new ideas and concepts.

* Shakespeare's innovation: He didn't just invent words from thin air. He took existing words and:

* Combined them: "Blood-boltered" (blood-stained), "heart-sick"

* Added prefixes and suffixes: "unhousel'd" (without the Eucharist), "moon-struck"

* Used existing words in new ways: "fashionable" (meaning "well-dressed" in Shakespeare's time, not "trendy")

* Gave existing words new meanings: "critical" (originally meaning "fault-finding," later meaning "important")

* The power of imagery: Shakespeare was a master of creating vivid imagery through language. His use of metaphors, similes, and other literary devices made his language both beautiful and memorable.

Examples:

* "Fanciful" (originally meaning "full of imagination" - Shakespeare used it to mean "capricious")

* "Critical" (originally meaning "fault-finding" - Shakespeare used it to mean "important" or "decisive")

* "Fashionable" (originally meaning "made in a particular way" - Shakespeare used it to mean "well-dressed")

While Shakespeare didn't invent words out of thin air, his skillful manipulation of language helped to enrich the English language and create the timeless masterpieces we still admire today.