WORD power

Terry

When I was 16 I started working on improving my vocabulary.

At first I was just trying to show off. Instead of gaining clarity in my speech and writing; I obfuscated through verbosity. (Just like that sentence!)

Eventually I got over the need to flex my vocabulary to garner attention. I used it to read great literature (and understand what I was reading).

I could delve deeper into great writing and comprehend great thoughts by having an arsenal of definitions of arcane words at my disposal.

I discovered that some of the greatest writing mankind has produced is the result of words shaped and crafted with an astounding sense of proportion, rhythm, assonance and vivid imagery.

But, much of contemporary writing in books, magazines, internet Blogs and Discussion Groups seems to demonstrate that few people today hold vocabulary in high esteem.

The poor attention to spelling (evident everywhere) demonstrates laxity and careless disregard for detail or economy of expression through accuracy. Everybody makes mistakes, of course. I certainly do. But, I look for my errors and try to correct them. While everywhere I see less and less effort to be precise at all.

WHAT IS YOUR VIEW OF "WORD" power?

Do you care how efficient your vocabulary is? Does it matter whether you can express yourself with deliberate accuracy? Or, do you just say what pops into your mouth and leave it for the other person to sort out?

Is our language devolving into so much wastebasket litter? I listen to students speaking Ebonics to each other and wonder how little articulation is present in their speech. It suits their purposes just fine; but, to my ears sounds like so much trash talk.

Is there any regard for beauty of speech?

I adore words. I appraise them like fine jewels. The manner in which they are linked in a fine array is dazzling to my eye. A person's manner of expression gives me a glimpse of the order and magnitude of their mind when they speak or write.

But, enough of what I think. Who cares?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Word Power: is it important at all? If so, to what extent?

How do you regard "words"?

Terry

tetrapod.sapien

i am guilty of laxity. i do not start sentences with upper-case letters. sometimes i do not formulate my thoughts as well as my ability would allow. but i do hold word power in very high regard. without symbolism, we would not be the species that we are. we might be neolithic farmers, at best.

it's a continuing goal of mine to communicate better via writing. i want to blame my laxity on being raised a JW, but in the end i can only blame myself.

P.S. - i pretty much always enjoy your posts, terry. one of the very first essays i read as i was beginning to lose my religion, was your essay on freeminds.org: Absolute Certainty. i do not recall if i emailed you at the time to thank you for it, but it made a big impact on my thinking at the time. so, the importance of word power, is very important. your essay is well written, and as a result, it made me think outside of my tiny little box. if it had been poorly written, i may never have read it. so, thanks.

RichieRich

Word power is certainly one of the strongest forces in this universe.

Nothing can be as eloquent and as threatening as language.

Generally, I eschew gargantuan words from my vocabulary because it seems to cause trepidation amongst the lower minded beings (ie. 17 year olds, JWs, etc.)

However, a proficiency with words can be much more effective than simplicity.

LittleToe

Eloquent soliloquies, doth not a man make

I can be a little pedantic, though I don't hold others to my personal standard.
Alas, I'm far from perfect myself, especially in the realms of grammar and punctuation.

My mum was fanatical about English, whereas my preference was for mathematics.

EvilForce

Terry...

There is a time and place for all. While I agree with alot of your post I have to point out that communication is dependant on the forum. For instance on a "chat" board wouldn't you agree a casual, free form, communication structure is common and expected? Where as a term paper would have an entirely different feel? Just like when I'm talking to a fellow doc about a medical case, I would not use that same communication style with a patient. Commonality is the basis for communication. My guidelines for posting on a chat board is similar to talking with a friend at the pub.....minus the beer and pub, but using a computer instead. I'm sure your conversational style is unique for each situation.

To be too casual in a formal setting you would be considered borish and uneducated. Similarly, to be too formal in a casual setting you can be considered a blow hard, uptight, know-it-all. So the key IMHO is striking a balance given the audience of your message / thoughts.

MerryMagdalene

I love to read, to comprehend, to listen and to learn...I find playing with words and language to be great fun...I wish I understood grammar better. I had a great vocabulary once upon a time.

But I wonder what you would make of this?

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, many forms of knowledge began to take on a new economic importance. The Reformation destroyed the Catholoc Church's absolute monopoly on the approval of knowledge. At the same time, the market economy was spreading into more and more areas of life. Knowledge itself began to be an "intangible commodity". It was something to be sold only to those who could afford to but it.
Ivan Illich, in an essay called "Vernacular Values," discusses the politics behind the standardization of language. Nebrija's Castillian grammar, the first grammar of the vernacular tongue, appeared in 1492----the year in which the Jews were expelled from Spain, and in which Columbus set off upon his voyage of discovery. The standardization of the unbound and ungoverned common speech became a tool of discrimination and a weapon of conquest. --Starhawk, Dreaming the Dark

bebu

I adore words. I appraise them like fine jewels. The manner in which they are linked in a fine array is dazzling to my eye. A person's manner of expression gives me a glimpse of the order and magnitude of their mind when they speak or write.

I agree! I think using words well is an art.

One of my greatest trials is that my memory is short-circuiting. The irony for me is that my recall is horrible, and the precise word I want to use has become an increasingly difficult task... no matter what remedies I have tried. Even well-used words disappear. My 'hard drive' has them, but I can't access them...

I try to take comfort in the fact that sometimes good poetry/good writing is made up of simple observations, not necessarily the most impressive words. It might be all that's left to me!

bebu

Wary-of-Alzheimers class

stillajwexelder

Language and word power are great but communication skill is even more important. I use a slightly different language here than at the Kingdom hall but in both places I use some common phrases. When speaking to my children I use different language again. If I am writing an article for publishing in a book or journal I use different language again. When sending e-mail I tend to be a little sloppy. So it depends on the time place audience etc what word power I exercise

LittleToe

Contextualisation - there's a word with real power

Terry

P.S. - i pretty much always enjoy your posts, terry. one of the very first essays i read as i was beginning to lose my religion, was your essay on freeminds.org: Absolute Certainty. i do not recall if i emailed you at the time to thank you for it, but it made a big impact on my thinking at the time. so, the importance of word power, is very important. your essay is well written, and as a result, it made me think outside of my tiny little box. if it had been poorly written, i may never have read it. so, thanks.

WOW, you made my day.

Thank you.

T.

WORD power

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