Shows the enormous influences that Shakespeare (diction of common life) and the King James Bible had on the development of the English language. The King James Bible, translated by a committee, had more influence than Shakespeare. Puritans limited their use of language to the 8000 words found in the King James Bible. Examines Shakespeare's creative use of the language and the varieties of English that spread to America's colonies. Also explores the expansion of the English language through borrowing from numerous other languages, including Latin, Greek, and American Indian languages. Mentions the creative freedom in spelling and usage that were part of the early use of modern English and illustrates how Shakespeare's pronunciation is different from today's. Mentions that there was no idea of standard speech in Shakespeare's time. Provides a little on some of the accents still heard in the English countryside.

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