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Shakespeare v Rappers

Who has the biggest vocabulary - the Bard or today’s rap stars? Tim Harford takes a look at the numbers with James Fletcher.

It is a 'fact' beloved of English teachers around the world that Shakespeare, the greatest playwright writing in English, also had the greatest vocabulary. But research published earlier this year suggests English teachers might have to look elsewhere to establish the superiority of the Bard - apparently his vocabulary lags behind the best and most famous rappers of the last decades. Is this comparison fair, and if so, does it diminish Shakespeare's lustre?

(Photo: Run DMC. Credit: Getty Images)

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10 minutes

Last on

Mon 15 Sep 2014 08:50GMT
BBC World Service Online

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  • Fri 12 Sep 2014 18:50GMT
    BBC World Service Online
  • Sun 14 Sep 2014 22:50GMT
    BBC World Service Online
  • Mon 15 Sep 2014 01:50GMT
    BBC World Service Online
  • Mon 15 Sep 2014 08:50GMT
    BBC World Service Online

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