Words, Beautiful Words

http://thesaurus.com/ is my newest home page on my laptop. It is just a delight for a person who loves the written word. Who has time to loll about looking for words to drool over? Thesaurus has it right there in front of me so if I see a word or quote or word history that teases my eye, I can pop right onto it, get it into my system and go back to the work I’m involved in.

Somewhere in there today, my trail took me from why, how and when capital and small case letters are used, to beautiful words voted on by readers. Serendipity was one word chosen. Say it. The word just rolls around my tongue almost pushing me into singing it. Lovely…. this also happens to be another beautiful word to me that sends my mind into graciousness and a time gone past. Probably my favorite word is delightful. I do hope folks don’t get annoyed by my use (over use?) of it. When I say or write delightful or delighted, I feel it. Just delightful. I don’t think it is possible to say that word with a frown on my face.

Same Words, Different Meaning

Have you ever read an article or column and then discussed it with a friend or acquaintance only to find that you absorbed such different information from the written words that you question whether you both read the same article?

It is true. We draw from the written words what interests us and the rest often fades away to be picked up by someone else. Sometimes the very same words give different meanings to different people even without the voice inflections when spoken. Again it is probably because we are applying the information to what is familiar to us. Or to what we are seeking.

So just when you think you are writing clearly and precisely, the words can send out messages that readers are reading differently. This can be extremely dismaying when you are trying to send a particular sentiment that you don’t want to be mis-construed. Ah.. …. Language.