1. Shakespeare's Collected Works: Shakespeare's complete works consist of 37 plays, 154 sonnets, and two long narrative poems. The total number of words used in these works varies depending on the edition and the criteria for counting. For instance, some editions may exclude proper names, while others may count them as separate words.
2. Unique Words: The number of unique words in Shakespeare's vocabulary refers to the distinct words he used across all his writings. However, it's worth noting that Shakespeare often repeated certain words and phrases, which can affect the count of unique words.
3. Comparison with Other Writers: Estimates of Shakespeare's vocabulary size are sometimes made by comparing it to the vocabularies of other writers from his time or later. However, such comparisons are complex and can be influenced by factors like the genres and styles of writing being considered.
4. Historical Context: The English language has evolved over centuries, and many words that Shakespeare used may have different meanings or usage in modern English. This can make it challenging to accurately determine the extent of his vocabulary.
Given these factors, it's difficult to provide a precise figure for the number of words in William Shakespeare's vocabulary. The estimates provided by various sources should be considered approximations based on specific criteria and methodologies.