Ju Words in Shakespeare’s Language: Pronunciation Guide to Enhance Your Reading and Performance

Imagine standing on a Elizabethan stage, delivering Juliet’s famous line: “O Romeo, Romeo! wherefore art thou Romeo?” But pause for a moment on words like “beauty,” “duty,” and “youth” scattered throughout Shakespeare’s works. In Shakespeare’s time, these carried a distinctive glide—a subtle “y” sound sliding into a long “oo”—known as the /juː/ sound (the yod + long u diphthong). This phonetic nuance added musicality, shaped rhymes, and influenced the rhythm of iambic pentameter in ways that modern accents often obscure. For actors, students, and literature enthusiasts, mastering ju words unlocks a richer auditory experience of Shakespeare’s poetry, revealing puns, emotional layers, and metrical precision lost in contemporary speech.

Ju words refer to terms featuring this /juː/ pronunciation, such as “use,” “new,” “tune,” “few,” “beauty,” “duty,” “youth,” “hue,” “view,” and “music.” In Early Modern English—the language Shakespeare spoke around 1600—this sound was more consistently present than in many modern varieties, especially before yod-dropping (where the “y” glide disappears, turning “new” from /njuː/ to /nuː/ in some American accents). Understanding these pronunciations bridges the gap between page and performance, helping you scan lines accurately, appreciate original rhymes, and deliver Shakespeare with greater authenticity and expressiveness.

This in-depth guide draws on linguistic scholarship from experts like David Crystal and Paul Meier, who have pioneered Original Pronunciation (OP) reconstructions. We’ll explore the phonetics of the /ju/ sound, its role in Shakespeare’s era, key examples from the plays and sonnets, practical exercises, and tips to apply it today—whether you’re preparing for an audition, teaching a class, or simply reading aloud for deeper enjoyment.

Understanding the /ju/ Sound: Phonetics and Modern Variations

What Is the /ju/ Sound? (The Yod + Long U Diphthong)

The /juː/ sound begins with a brief /j/ (the semi-vowel “y” as in “yes”) gliding into a long /uː/ (the “oo” in “food”). Phonetically, it’s a diphthong: your tongue starts high and forward for /j/, then moves back and rounds for /uː/. Lips round slightly throughout.

To produce it:

1. Say “yes” slowly, isolating the initial “y.”
2. Follow with “oo” as in “moon.”
3. Blend them seamlessly: “yoo.”

This glide gives words an elegant, flowing quality—perfect for Shakespeare’s themes of beauty, love, and duty.

For non-native speakers or those with accents prone to yod-dropping, practice by exaggerating the “y” at first: “yoo-th” for “youth,” then soften it to natural /juːθ/.

Spelling Variations for /ju/ Words

Shakespeare’s English used flexible spellings, but common patterns for /juː/ include:

• “u” after certain consonants: use, music, duty, tune, argue.
• “ew”: new, few, dew, view.
• “ue”: argue, cue, due, hue.
• “eu”: feud, Europe (in some contexts).
• “y” + vowel: you, youth.
• “ui”: fruit, suit (variable).

“Surprise” /ju/ appears in words like “beauty” (from French influence) and “funeral.”

Yod-Dropping: Why Some Accents Say /uː/ Instead of /juː/

Yod-dropping—the loss of the /j/ glide—emerged gradually after Shakespeare’s time, becoming widespread in many American English dialects and some British regional ones. Words like “new” (/njuː/ in conservative British vs. /nuː/ in General American), “duty” (/ˈdjuːti/ vs. /ˈduːti/), “tune” (/tjuːn/ vs. /tuːn/), and “news” show this variation.

In Shakespeare’s London dialect (Early Modern English), /juː/ was standard after alveolar consonants (t, d, n, s, z, l, th), with less dropping than today. This consistency affected rhymes and meter—e.g., “beauty” and “duty” shared a clearer glide, strengthening their poetic link.

The /ju/ Sound in Early Modern English and Shakespeare’s Era

Historical Context of Pronunciation in Shakespeare’s Time

Shakespeare wrote during the Early Modern English period (roughly 1500–1700), a time of rapid linguistic evolution known as the Great Vowel Shift and other phonological changes. The /juː/ sound—often called the yod + long u diphthong—was a stable and prominent feature in the London dialect Shakespeare likely spoke.

Linguists like David Crystal, in works such as The Oxford Dictionary of Original Shakespearean Pronunciation and his collaborations on Original Pronunciation (OP) productions at Shakespeare’s Globe, reconstruct this sound based on rhyme evidence, contemporary spellings, orthoepists’ comments (early pronunciation guides), and verse meter. Paul Meier, a dialect coach specializing in Shakespeare, echoes this in his guides, noting that /juː/ appeared consistently after consonants like /t/, /d/, /n/, /s/, and others in words that later underwent yod-dropping.

In Shakespeare’s era, /juː/ derived from Middle English long /yː/ or /iu/ (influenced by French borrowings), and it persisted without widespread dropping. This made words like “beauty” (/ˈbjuːti/), “duty” (/ˈdjuːti/), and “new” (/njuː/) glide smoothly with the initial “y” sound, contributing to the language’s musical quality.

Why /ju/ Mattered in Shakespeare’s Language

The /ju/ glide wasn’t mere decoration—it directly influenced Shakespeare’s artistry:

• Meter and Iambic Pentameter: The extra syllable from /ju/ could add or adjust unstressed beats. For example, “beauty” as three syllables (/ˈbjuː.ti/) fits iambic patterns where modern two-syllable pronunciations (/ˈbju.ti/ in some accents) might disrupt scansion.
• Rhyme Schemes: Rhymes relied on shared endings. “Beauty” and “duty” rhymed more perfectly with /juːti/ endings; “new” and “true” shared /uː/ but the glide added assonance. In OP, many couplets that seem slant-rhymed today snap into place.
• Aesthetic and Rhetorical Effects: The /ju/ glide evoked elegance, youth, and refinement—ideal for themes of love, virtue, and beauty. It lent a lyrical flow to speeches about “youth,” “hue” (complexion/color), or “music,” enhancing emotional resonance.

In OP reconstructions, as demonstrated by David Crystal and his son Ben in Globe productions (e.g., Romeo and Juliet in 2004), these nuances reveal puns, assonances, and rhythms obscured in modern speech.

Evidence from Original Pronunciation (OP) Reconstructions

Scholars base /juː/ reconstructions on:

• Rhymes in Shakespeare’s texts (e.g., sonnets where “beauty” pairs with words implying /juː/).
• Contemporary sources like Ben Jonson’s notes on pronunciation.
• Paul Meier’s phonetic transcriptions and audio guides, which preserve /juː/ in words like “Juliet,” “funeral,” “duty,” and “beauty.”
• David Crystal’s OP dictionary and Globe experiments, showing /juː/ as standard before yod-dropping became common post-1650.

In Meier’s The Original Pronunciation (OP) of Shakespeare’s English, he lists GOOSE-set words (long /uː/) often with /juː/ variants: “loop, mood, dupe, Juliet, funeral, duty, fruit, beauty.” Both pronunciations coexisted variably, but OP favors the glided form for fidelity.

This historical consistency explains why OP performances feel fresher and more poetic—/ju/ restores sonic connections Shakespeare intended.

Key Ju Words in Shakespeare’s Works: Comprehensive List and Analysis

Most Frequent and Iconic /ju/ Words in Shakespeare

Shakespeare used /ju/ words prolifically, especially in themes of love, honor, and renewal. Here’s a curated selection (with approximate frequencies from concordances and play references):

• Beauty (~250+ uses): Central to sonnets and plays; e.g., Sonnet 18, Romeo and Juliet.
• Duty (~150 uses): Loyalty and obligation; Hamlet, King Lear.
• New (~200 uses): Renewal, novelty; As You Like It, The Tempest.
• Youth (~100 uses): Vitality, young love; sonnets, Twelfth Night.
• Tune (~30 uses): Music/harmony; The Tempest, Twelfth Night.
• True (~400 uses, often rhyming with /ju/ words): Fidelity; sonnets.
• View (~50 uses): Sight/perspective; various.
• Hue (~20 uses): Color/complexion; sonnets.
• Use (~100 uses): Habit/practice; sonnets.
• Music (~100 uses): Literal and metaphorical; Twelfth Night.
• Few (~80 uses): Scarcity; various.
• Argue (~20 uses): Debate; Hamlet.
• Juliet (name): Implies /ˈdʒuː.li.ət/ glide.

In OP, these retain the /juː/ for authenticity.

Close Readings of Famous Passages Featuring Ju Words

1. Beauty in Sonnet 18 (“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”):
   • Line: “And summer’s lease hath all too short a date… But thy eternal summer shall not fade, / Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow’st; / Nor shall Death brag thou wander’st in his shade, / When in eternal lines to time thou grow’st: / So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, / So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.”
   • In OP: “Beauty” as /ˈbjuː.ti/ adds a glide that echoes “thou” (/ðuː/), enhancing the immortalizing rhythm. Modern flat /ˈbju.ti/ loses some lyricism.
2. Duty in Hamlet (Polonius to Laertes, I.iii):
   • “This above all: to thine own self be true, / And it must follow, as the night the day, / Thou canst not then be false to any man.”
   • Nearby: Polonius’s advice includes “duty” themes. /ˈdjuː.ti/ glides mirror “true” (/truː/), linking personal integrity.
3. New/Youth in As You Like It (II.vii, Jaques’s “All the world’s a stage”):
   • “And then the lover, / Sighing like furnace, with a woeful ballad / Made to his mistress’ eyebrow. Then a soldier…”
   • “Youth” as /juːθ/ evokes freshness; “new” in other passages reinforces renewal.
4. Tune/Music in Twelfth Night (I.i):
   • “If music be the food of love, play on…”
   • “Tune” elsewhere; /tjuːn/ glide adds musicality to the metaphor.

Each example shows how /ju/ enhances scansion (extra syllable potential) and thematic elegance.

Less Common but Significant Ju Words

• Argue: In Hamlet debates, /ˈɑːr.ɡjuː/ adds persuasive flow.
• Feud: Family conflicts in Romeo and Juliet, /fjuːd/.
• Hue: Sonnet 20 (“A woman’s face with Nature’s own hand painted…”), complexion as /hjuː/.
• Endure: Patience themes, /ɪnˈdjʊər/ or /ɛnˈdjuːr/.

Practical Guide: How to Pronounce Ju Words Like Shakespeare

Mastering the /juː/ sound for Shakespearean delivery is not about adopting a full accent but about selectively restoring the glide where it enhances meaning, rhythm, and authenticity. The goal is clarity for modern audiences while honoring the original sonic texture.

Step-by-Step Pronunciation Exercises

1. Isolate the Components

   • First, practice the /j/ glide alone: Say “yes,” “yellow,” “yawn.” Feel the tongue rise toward the palate.
   • Next, sustain the long /uː/: “oo” as in “moon,” “food,” “blue.” Lips rounded, tongue back.
   • Now blend: Start with “yoo” (exaggerated), then soften: “yoo → oo” → natural /juː/.

2. Basic Word Drills (Progression from Simple to Complex)

   • Level 1: you, few, new, dew, view
   • Level 2: use, tune, cue, due, hue
   • Level 3: beauty, duty, youth, music, argue
   • Level 4: Juliet, funeral, virtue, endure

   Practice each word 5–10 times:

   • Exaggerate the glide first (“byoo-tee” for beauty).
   • Then reduce it to natural /ˈbjuː.ti/.
   • Say the word in a sentence: “Beauty is truth, truth beauty” (Keats, but echoes Shakespeare’s aesthetic).

3. Line-Specific Practice

   • Take a famous line and mark potential /juː/ words:
     • “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day? / Thou art more lovely and more temperate…” (Sonnet 18)
     • Pronounce “temperate” with /ˈtɛm.pər.ət/ but note nearby “beauty” in the sonnet sequence.
   • Read aloud slowly, exaggerating the glide on “beauty,” “youth,” “new” in context.

Record yourself (phone voice memo works) and compare to OP samples available on YouTube (search “David Crystal Original Pronunciation” or “Paul Meier Shakespeare OP”).

Tips for Actors and Performers

• Rhythm First: Use /juː/ to maintain iambic pentameter. In “O that this too too solid flesh would melt” (Hamlet), nearby “duty” in other speeches benefits from the glide to keep the line flowing.
• Emotional Nuance: The /ju/ glide can soften delivery for tenderness (“beauty,” “youth”) or sharpen it for moral weight (“duty,” “virtue”).
• Balance Historical and Modern: In most professional productions, full OP is rare. Instead, sprinkle /juː/ on key words for flavor without alienating audiences. Directors often choose conservative British-style /juː/ (as in RP) for words like “new,” “tune,” “duty.”
• Avoid Overdoing It: Pronouncing every possible /uː/ word with heavy /juː/ can sound affected. Reserve it for poetic or emotionally charged moments.

Paul Meier advises in his coaching: “The glide is subtle—think of it as a gentle courtesy bow before the long vowel, not a dramatic leap.”

Tips for Readers and Students

• Read sonnets and soliloquies aloud weekly, consciously adding the glide where historical evidence supports it.
• Use free resources:
  • David Crystal’s “Shakespeare’s Original Pronunciation” videos (Globe Theatre archives).
  • Paul Meier’s “Speaking Shakespeare” audio series and phonetic guides.
  • The British Library’s “Shakespeare in Original Pronunciation” sound samples.
• Join or listen to OP-focused groups (e.g., Original Pronunciation Facebook communities or theatre workshops).
• Scan lines with IPA notation to see where /juː/ adds a syllable or strengthens stress.

These habits transform silent reading into an active, auditory experience—revealing why Shakespeare’s verse was designed to be spoken.

Common Challenges and Misconceptions About Ju Words in Shakespeare

Why Modern Readers/Actors Get It Wrong

The biggest culprit is yod-dropping ingrained in many speakers’ native accents, especially General American, Australian, and some Northern British dialects. Words taught as “noo” (new), “doo-ty” (duty), or “toon” (tune) feel natural, so actors default to them even when performing period pieces.

Another issue: School editions and modern recordings rarely note pronunciation variants, leading students to assume contemporary speech equals Elizabethan speech. Teachers often prioritize meaning over sound, so metrical subtleties get overlooked.

Debunking Myths

• Myth: Shakespeare sounded exactly like modern Received Pronunciation (RP). Reality: OP was closer to a blend of West Country, Irish, and American influences—rhotic in many positions, with clearer /juː/ glides. David Crystal emphasizes that OP is not “posh British.”
• Myth: All /uː/ words in Shakespeare had /juː/. Reality: Variation existed even then. After labials (p, b, m, f, v) and velars (k, g), /uː/ was common without glide (e.g., “true,” “blue”). The /juː/ was strongest after alveolars.
• Myth: Using /juː/ makes delivery incomprehensible. Reality: Selective use—on “beauty,” “duty,” “youth,” “Juliet”—adds flavor without sacrificing clarity. Modern audiences adapt quickly.

Expert consensus (Crystal, Meier, Kökeritz’s Shakespeare’s Pronunciation) supports conservative /juː/ retention for OP fidelity.

Unlocking Deeper Appreciation Through Ju Words

The /ju/ sound may seem minor, but it serves as a sonic key to Shakespeare’s world. By understanding and selectively employing this glide in words like beauty, duty, youth, new, tune, and music, you reconnect with the musicality, metrical precision, and emotional subtlety the playwright crafted.

Whether you’re an actor preparing a monologue, a teacher guiding students through sonnets, or a lifelong reader seeking fresh insight, try incorporating /juː/ into your next reading or performance. The difference is often subtle yet profound—like hearing a familiar melody with one restored harmony.

Experiment. Read aloud. Listen to OP recordings. Share your discoveries in the comments below—what Shakespearean line feels most transformed when you restore the /ju/ glide?

Frequently Asked Questions About Ju Words in Shakespeare

What exactly is the /ju/ sound? It’s a diphthong starting with a “y” glide (/j/) into a long “oo” (/uː/), as in “you” or “cute.” In Shakespeare’s time, it appeared more consistently than in many modern accents.

Did Shakespeare always pronounce words like “new” with /juː/? Most evidence points to yes in his London dialect, especially after t, d, n, s, etc. Yod-dropping became widespread later.

How does /ju/ affect iambic pentameter? It can add an extra syllable (beauty as three rather than two), helping lines scan correctly or allowing flexible stressing for emphasis.

What are the best resources for learning Original Pronunciation? David Crystal’s books and Globe videos; Paul Meier’s “Speaking Shakespeare” and phonetic guides; British Library sound archives; “Original Pronunciation” performances on YouTube.

Should I use /juː/ in every performance? Not necessarily. Selective use on thematic words (beauty, duty, youth) often works best for modern audiences while honoring the text.

Is /juː/ the same in British and American English today? No—conservative British (RP) retains it more often (“new” = /njuː/), while many American accents drop it (“new” = /nuː/). OP leans toward the glided form.

Does /ju/ change puns or rhymes? Yes—many couplets and near-rhymes become crisper (beauty/duty, new/true), revealing Shakespeare’s wordplay more clearly.