Here's what we know:
* Shakespeare's vocabulary: Scholars estimate Shakespeare used around 20,000-29,000 different words in his works.
* The English language then: The English language in Shakespeare's time was much smaller, with only about 10,000-15,000 words in common use.
* Neologisms: Shakespeare is credited with creating many new words (neologisms), adding them to the English lexicon. Some estimates suggest he coined 1,700 new words.
How those words are used today:
* Many remain: A large number of Shakespeare's words are still in common use today. You probably use dozens of them every day without realizing it!
* Some are archaic: Some words are considered archaic or obsolete, meaning they are no longer used in modern English.
* Some are specialized: Others have specialized meanings or are used only in specific contexts. For example, you might encounter some of Shakespeare's vocabulary when reading legal documents or studying history.
Here are some examples of words Shakespeare is credited with introducing:
* "Assassination"
* "Critical"
* "Undressed"
* "Eyeball"
* "Road"
* "Leap"
* "Swagger"
Shakespeare's impact on the English language is significant. His works introduced new words, helped to solidify existing words, and provided models for sentence structures and literary expression that continue to inspire writers today.