I found this on Facebook and just had to share (and yes, I know it’s “bated breath,” not “baited breath”).
If you enjoy reading about Shakespeare, you may enjoy this post about he died a nobody and his works then got famous almost by accident or this list of Shakespearean insults!
Such a shame the way he died when he is responsible for about 30% of modern English Language. Thanks for sharing this, Nicholas 🙂
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I know, right?? Makes me think of Mozart…
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How different English must have sounded before Shakespeare filled it in!
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Indeed. How poorer, too!
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I wonder how Shakespeare would have reacted to the careless use of language on social media today?
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I’m sure he would have chuckled at some of the more creative memes 🙂
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I love this! I think sometimes (probably most times) we forget what he contributed to our language.
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Thank you, Staci 😀
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I love this graphic, Nicholas, except for one little thing. Shakespeare actually said “bated breath,” as in to abate (hold) your breath. “Baited breath” would mean you’ve probably been eating minnows or worms. 😉 I LONG to correct that spot so I can use this without it leaping out at me. I guess it’s that this particular misused phrase is one I’ve mentioned on my “Why Write Wrong?” days. Still, it’s a lovely, fun, informative infographic, and I’m trying to convince myself to go ahead and use it. Tell me I should do so. 😀
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PS, I know you know this. I am just feeling sad that it gets misused so often. But I’ve saved this great graphic anyway, and am pretty sure I can bring my OCD self to share it, regardless. Too many good things in it to NOT pass it along. 🙂
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Lol–I know what you mean 😀
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I know (and actually made the same point in my prologue). Well spotted 🙂
As for using it, I copied it from Facebook myself, so I’m afraid it’s not up to me. I guess it depends on the intended use. It’s fine for a blog like mine but I’d redo it from scratch were I to use in a book.
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Oh, not to worry. I don’t use illustrations in my books. I just like to pass these types of things along on my blog, especially on Mondays, where I share writing-oriented memes, but that’s all I would ever do with a graphic I don’t own. And I’ve pretty much made up my mind to share this one, too, because it’s just so much fun. And the error doesn’t take away from reminding us who gave us all these very common phrases. I love that! 😀 Thanks to YOU for passing it along! (And I apologize for missing your prologue comment. My eye was drawn to the graphic right off the bat. A sure sign it’s a neat one.) 🙂
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A sure sign you’re an author with an eagle eye, more like it 😀
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Reblogged this on blogging807.
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Pingback: Author Inspiration and Last Week’s Writing Links – Staci Troilo
Check out ‘Quoting Shakespeare’ which sums up the words he gave us. It was put together by the English journalist Bernard Levin.
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Sweet, thanks! Link, please 🙂
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Wow. I didn’t know any of that can be traced back to him. Thanks for educating me.
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Same here! Dude really had quite an impact (I said in the understatement of the year… then again, the year is just starting, so there’s still time to beat me!) 🙂
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