My favourite story of the day is definitely this one, which I heard on the radio this morning. In honour of the Bard's 445th birthday, the Mayor of Chicago has declared today to be 'Talk Like Shakespeare Day' and is encouraging his citizens to 'screw their courage to the sticking place and celebrate Shakespeare by the vocal acclamation of his words'. You can read Mayor Daley's Official Proclamation here - I think it's really well done.
The Windy City has even constructed a website to celebrate the occasion which encourages Chicago-dwellers to 'Blog like Shakespeare' and 'Twitter like Shakespeare'. I was initially rather thrown by this invitation. Does one have to use iambic pentameters? Are rhyming couplets compulsory? But not to fear - the site provides a helpful online Shakespeare Twitter Translator who does the job for you. How does one write 'LOL' in Shakepearean English? 'A chortling ruckus with mine bellyful mirth!' And the response to: 'Please translate: 'I think you are really cute and want to go out with you. What are you doing Saturday?'. 'Thou art a true mirror to a deity. Mayst I have thy digits?' Not bad. Although surely that actually means 'Can I have your fingers?
Anyway, japes galore to be had thanks to Mayor Daley's great idea. I just wonder what he has in store for September 19th.
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