I LOVED reading all of your stories and comments and thoughts about who you are as readers and writers. I have learned so much about you and as some of you commented, there was this sense of connection amongst us all that brings us together in terms of our histories or where we are currently.
This week I am going to ask you to think about just words. So, what are words to you? What are some of your favorite words? What is your relationship with words? One of my favorite words is succulent. I love the way it sounds just like what it is. It brings a strong image to my mind and it almost makes my mouth water. My relationship with words is very volatile as words are my greatest pleasure and my worst nightmare. Have you ever found yourself in that position where you want to say something, but just can't find the right words? I hate that!! I have posted a photo of a perfect summer evening because as many times as I have tried to capture this moment in words, it falls completely flat. Why is it that words cannot do this moment justice? Or is it that I just have not found the right words? Of course, without words we would be lost, and I wish I could say that I am always learning new words, but the truth is that I am not. I almost feel embarrassed when someone uses a word that I am not familiar with. I always feel that I "should" know what it means. And as I sneak away to my dictionary on the sly to find it, I realize that it often is not a word I would want anyway. Other times that is not the case and I work to meld it into my everyday thoughts. So, what are words to you? Do you think about words and how you say things to others? Do you find your plethora (great word meaning overabundance ) of words to be adequate or are you searching for something more? Do you celebrate words in your classrooms with your students? Tell us all about YOUR relationship with words!
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9 comments:
Hi Everyone!
Okay, I was last before so I guess I will go first this time. I love words too. I remember when I was younger my friends and I used to make up words that only we knew the meaning of. I used to like to use new words too.
I had to think about this a bit and I am sure that I will be back with more... but for now- one word that has meant a lot to me is "believe". I love that word. It makes me feel strong and it gives me a feeling that no one can touch. It is a word I say to myself a lot-especially when I am stressed or sad or anxious. It sometimes has to do with my faith but it goes beyond just my religious faith. It's how I view things in my life. The word gives me peace. I do believe in things that I cannot see. I love seeing things that I believe in too. I feel comfort from the things that I believe in. I would rather think that the cup is half full than empty. I believe in angels. I believe that some are here among us and sometimes work through us. I believe in trust and honesty. It doesn't matter to me if what I believe in can't be proven. The only thing that matters is that I do believe! I remember when I was little and the year that we all asked each other:"Do you believe in Santa Claus"? I remember when my own daughters struggled with this question and how I wanted my youngest to hold on to her belief as long as possible. Now, I'd like to think that they feel like I do-the spirit of giving and watching the joy on others, the thought that anything is possible and not out of your reach-the right to "believe".
When I was in High School,we had a word posted every week on a bulletin board in our homeroom. When the word "garrulous'went up EVERYONE looked at me. I guess I had the reputation of being a talker.My Dad didn't think it was so funny. I was grounded when I brought home a c in conduct due to excessive "garrulousness"(I think I just invented a new word!)Many of my friends say I am the queen of small talk and say I can talk to anyone about anything. Do I engage in small talk because I am friendly and like to meet new people...yes I do . I also feel safer with this light form of conversation rather than serious discussions about politics or matters which require deeper thought!If I were to choose a word which is important to me now I guess it would be hope. I have hopes of my grandchildren being happy and healthy and hope that my own future will be redefined
Words....I have a love/hate relationship with words. I guess its more hate than love though! I grew up in a family with lots of big words flying around. My dad was like this walking thesaurus. I remember getting a lecture on the "consequences of actions" when I was like 4 or 5. I couldn't even say the words! But I learned a lot of the meanings by using the context of what he said. So often my interpretation of words are not exactly accurate. If I ever asked what a word meant, he's say "Look it up in the dictionary." I stopped asking. The word "dictionary" still brings back nightmares.
As an adult, I now use those big words. In college, my buddies would always plead with me to use "smaller" words, as if they couldn't understand me. I never mean to use big words. I find I use them more when I'm nervous.
Back to the love/HATE thing. I can't ever get words to come out right. In social situations, while teaching, in interviews....it doesn't matter. My aunt used to say "Your talk is all mixed up!" I struggle to be concise and clear while teaching. However, I butcher cliche's and idioms. I struggle to say it right day in and day out. I have to slow myself down to get it out right!
Words-I have a million words that I don't like: moist, lover, furniture! But not so many that I do like...I do like serndipity, not just the word but the meaning as well. I am always using and talking about words, especially with my own children who seem to have a natural love of words. Our current favorite is bamboozle!
When I read the first comments about words, I was thinking about the power of words and just how much impact they can have. Whether we are using the right ones or not, whether we mean things the way they come out, the way we use our voice when we say them can change any situation and often put us in situations that we may not have wanted to be in! I think of how much hurt words can bring or how much hope or comfort some words can bring. It really is terrifying!
Words, Words, Words...when I think of words, I think of my husband. Weird I know! He is one who takes a new word and uses it to death…I hope he is not reading this. Clutch was the first word that I became terribly annoyed with, and then he was on to money. Everything great was money! I soon realized after getting to know the people he worked with that he tended to use the words he heard regularly…and then I realized so don’t I and after further study…so don’t most of us. Listen to a select group of colleagues for a while and you too will see exactly what I am talking about, if you haven’t experienced this already. As I sit here and write, I think about the phrase I’ve got nothing…where did it come from…my dear friends Mrs. Chaffee…where did she get it from, maybe she will remember and share! It wasn’t a phrase I used, but now a phrase I use regularly. Words are everywhere, but a constant reflection of our surroundings. Some of my colleagues as I listen to them I hear their words come straight out of textbook as if they were the author.
Like many of you, I do enjoy to use and learn new words. The second week of school Kim used a word in a letter that I had no idea as to what it meant therefore it really didn’t’ make sense to me when I read the letter. As I was getting ready to delete it I asked what it meant and soon learned…as I sit her I was so excited about he new word I already forgot what the words was...oh wait a minute here it comes, I believe it was ensues. Such an easy and short little word that I have now decided to add it to my mental file for future use. Maybe I will come up with a crazy word to start using all of the time and see how many others start using it as a result.
I remember in college trying to look smart by using he thesaurus to come up with new words…papers would take far longer than they ever needed to, but it was an assignment and language lesson all rolled up into one. Even today, I do enjoying finding another way to write or say something and run for the dictionary when I don’t know what the word means. I haven’t ever had a word of the week but I am feeling inspired to do so as I sit and write!
WORDS, WORDS, WORDS!
I think in the past few years and since I have begun my teaching career I have focused more on the words I use in all settings. I always want to find the right words when I am speaking or writing and get very excited when I find that words that fits just right! I can remember getting ready for Open House and being so nervous as to what to say to all of these parents looking to me for answers. I wanted to be professional so I kept going through scenarios in my mind of what to say and freaking out that I would forget those words once it came time to speak them. One teacher just told me to be real and show my true feelings because that it what would make the parents feel comfortable. That is exactly what I did and I remember the right words just flowing out naturally. I think that I pick up words from those around me without even realizing it because the next thing you know I am using it in conversation. I also have this quirky thing about me which I know was very annoying to my boyfriend at the time. I always notice when someone uses the wrong word that makes no sense at all and I do this because he used to use the wrong words all of the time. It became quite the running joke and we laughed about it. Although I do give him credit for attempting those big words, which is something I think I have always avoided even if I am sure of the words meaning. I need to work on that!
I love the word beautiful, but I hate the word pretty. I my mind they have such different meanings. I love any food that can describe what I am eating, delicious, cheesy, scrumptous, crunchy, an so on. I love food a little more than the average human being=:)
Words make up an enormous part of who we are and I think it is not only important for me to pay close attention to the words I should avoid, but also the words I should be using more often.
Words…I think about and enjoy words far more now than I ever did! It is because I see such excitement in my daughter’s eyes as she discovers the meanings of new words and such pride when she’s able to use those new gems in the context of a conversation. I also am amazed at how rapidly she acquires new vocabulary and how adept she is at finding the right context for words I haven’t yet defined for her.
I remember the first time my daughter matched a word with a situation. It was Easter and my mother was setting the table for dinner. She accidentally knocked one of the decorations over and Marissa squealed, “Uh, oh!” I remember thinking that she’s got it! She’s got the connection between all of that gibberish us grown-ups keep shouting in her direction and the world around her. Maybe I had looked foolish pointing and naming every item in the produce section of the grocery store, but it was going to pay off.
What about the babies who aren’t spoken to or who are spoken down to? I met one. I remember seeing a child riding in the front of a shopping carriage. He was about three or four, had a pacifier crammed in amongst all those teeth and was shouting “Me want num-nums!“ His mother responded that she would get him some “num-nums for din-din.“ I felt sad that he wasn’t going to be exposed to an enriched vocabulary. If he had the words, what would he have asked for dinner? How much information could he be acquiring? I try to remember that trip to the store when talking with my daughter or when teaching my students. Words are such a tool in life. Exposure to words and how to manipulate them is crucial. How one uses words can be perceived as a status or class symbol or as a sign of intelligence, when truly it’s more about exposure and experience.
I see a thirst in my daughter to learn new words and her delight in manipulating them (she likes to make up rhyming songs). Her favorite word right now is disgusting. She crinkles up her nose whenever she says it and no matter how hard she tries it always comes out “gis-gus-ging!” My favorite word is incomprehensible. Just trying to spit out all of those syllables gives such a feeling of how perplexing the situation is.
I considered looking through a dictionary to try and find my favorite word. But… that seemed like cheating. I’ve struggled with finding my favorite word. I even asked family and colleagues about my favorite word. But alas, I don’t think I have a favorite word. Not one that is fun to say, or conjures up great imagines.
I suppose, during the past few years, that the word courage has become an important personal word to me. I don’t mean the heroic, daring kind of courage. But rather the kind of courage it takes to try something new or to try again after feeling like you failed. The kind of courage it takes to have faith that I can be successful, even when all the doubts are overwhelming.
I have always worried that when I am writing my words will give me away. Words have been my nemesis. Maybe people we see that I am not as brilliant as I want them to think I am. In college, I used the thesaurus to look up and replace many, many of the words I had written. Sometimes, I would rewrite an essay so many times that the message I was trying to convey was long lost.
Words have always worried me. But I am finding the courage to be comfortable with what I know and what I don’t. I force myself to ask about the meaning of a word that has just been used, if it is unknown to me. And I am writing more and more without the use of a thesaurus (phrase book, lexicon, supplemental terminology).
Hmmm- words. I can't seem to think of any words that I particularly love right away, however, words that I hate come to mind immediately- starting with the word registrar. It's just such a difficult word to say- it doesn't roll off the tongue easily and that last r just seems to be too much! I swear one of the reasons I couldn't wait to graduate from college was so I didn't have to say "I have to stop by the registrar's office" ever again! Another word comes to mind as well- instantaneously. Doesn't it just seem unnecessary?! I mean, why wouldn't someone just say that something happened instantly and save the extra three syllables? Seems pretty cut and dry to me!
The topic of words also reminds me of my husband. He was also one of those who had a new vocabulary word every day and, unlike most people, has retained every bit of knowledge about those words to this day. He also subscribes to dictionary.com's word of the day and sadly enough we have had several conversations on the grammatical correctness of lots of words-too many words.
A funny story about my older sister that starts with her asking me if I want to learn the "mother of all swear words" when I was around 8 or 9 comes to mind- but I think I'll leave that one for class!
And I have to agree with BJ about the picking up on what others say and then encorporating it into your own word choices. I do that all the time! Of course every example that I have escapes my mind but I definitely know that it happens.
And since we are talking about words, I guess I should probably mention that I am one of those people who enjoy movie quoting- not all the time but when you're with someone who also enjoys quoting and the moment is right, it can be seriously funny! I'm sorry to say that BJ is not one of these people and usually looks at me with blank stares whenever I toss one out there.
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