Out of the closet
Grandma Fannie had what might be considered for someone of her social and economic class a rather substantial library in the farmhouse in Oklahoma. One book, a large dictionary –Mariam Webster perhaps – had its own table. It was in frequent use. One of the joys of reading was discovering new words or words used in a new way.
Spelling is still not one of my innate talents. I am not one of those lucky people who can see the word in one’s mind’s eye or can sound it out efficiently. Yet, because of my love of words and the sheer fun of finding a new word or a word, which has been lying dormant in my mind for some weeks, months, years or even decades, I will spend whatever time I need to locate the spelling. If there is a person with spelling talent nearby I am not at all opposed to asking for assistance.
When I talk about finding a new word in some book, journal article or one I hear I am not talking about a word, which has been irreverently tossed, into a sentence in an attempt to impress. One quickly knows that the author is pimping the word. I recall talking to a neighbor who was in the process of getting a doctorate degree and would write articles for publications. He always included a phrase in Latin. I was impressed that, unlike me, he had studied and could use Latin until one day he shared that he did not know Latin, but he always had a colleague loan him a Latin phrase so his articles would sound more learned. I was sorely disappointed.
This morning, while exercising my physical body at the gym, I was listening to National Public Radio. One of the segments I enjoy is “Ask Cokie”. Cokie Roberts, journalist and book author, answers questions, which listeners send in. One of those listeners used the word gauche this morning. Immediately, my smile and even my arms opened to welcome this old friend. Gauche is one of those words, which I had apparently carelessly thrown into an old shoebox and stored in the back of the closet. I thought, “How very unkind and careless of me.” I found I wanted to apologize. To the word? To the English language? To the long list of teachers who taught me to embrace and nurture the language?
Gauche is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “unsophisticated and socially awkward” It is a mid 18th century word literally defined as left. It seems obvious that it comes from a time when one would assume that most, if not all, people had been trained to ensure that their dominant hand was the right one. How else to explain the use of the word to describe one who is “unsophisticated and socially awkward”?
The person who used it this morning was doing so in the context of a question about changes in relationships between political figures such as presidents and someone who has been a close advisor or ally. I am sorry I cannot find the exact quote.
Many languages have more words than the English language to describe the nuances of an experience or substance. Eskimos, for example, have 14 different words for snow. Yet, the English language is far richer than my limited use of words would suggest. I do it a great disservice by leaving many words in various shoeboxes in the back of the closet.
Perhaps it is time release the words from the closet and host a reunion of all the fun, interesting and lovely words which I have for far too long left there.
What do you think Grandma Fannie?
Written January 10, 2018
Grandma Fannie had what might be considered for someone of her social and economic class a rather substantial library in the farmhouse in Oklahoma. One book, a large dictionary –Mariam Webster perhaps – had its own table. It was in frequent use. One of the joys of reading was discovering new words or words used in a new way.
Spelling is still not one of my innate talents. I am not one of those lucky people who can see the word in one’s mind’s eye or can sound it out efficiently. Yet, because of my love of words and the sheer fun of finding a new word or a word, which has been lying dormant in my mind for some weeks, months, years or even decades, I will spend whatever time I need to locate the spelling. If there is a person with spelling talent nearby I am not at all opposed to asking for assistance.
When I talk about finding a new word in some book, journal article or one I hear I am not talking about a word, which has been irreverently tossed, into a sentence in an attempt to impress. One quickly knows that the author is pimping the word. I recall talking to a neighbor who was in the process of getting a doctorate degree and would write articles for publications. He always included a phrase in Latin. I was impressed that, unlike me, he had studied and could use Latin until one day he shared that he did not know Latin, but he always had a colleague loan him a Latin phrase so his articles would sound more learned. I was sorely disappointed.
This morning, while exercising my physical body at the gym, I was listening to National Public Radio. One of the segments I enjoy is “Ask Cokie”. Cokie Roberts, journalist and book author, answers questions, which listeners send in. One of those listeners used the word gauche this morning. Immediately, my smile and even my arms opened to welcome this old friend. Gauche is one of those words, which I had apparently carelessly thrown into an old shoebox and stored in the back of the closet. I thought, “How very unkind and careless of me.” I found I wanted to apologize. To the word? To the English language? To the long list of teachers who taught me to embrace and nurture the language?
Gauche is defined by the Oxford Dictionary as “unsophisticated and socially awkward” It is a mid 18th century word literally defined as left. It seems obvious that it comes from a time when one would assume that most, if not all, people had been trained to ensure that their dominant hand was the right one. How else to explain the use of the word to describe one who is “unsophisticated and socially awkward”?
The person who used it this morning was doing so in the context of a question about changes in relationships between political figures such as presidents and someone who has been a close advisor or ally. I am sorry I cannot find the exact quote.
Many languages have more words than the English language to describe the nuances of an experience or substance. Eskimos, for example, have 14 different words for snow. Yet, the English language is far richer than my limited use of words would suggest. I do it a great disservice by leaving many words in various shoeboxes in the back of the closet.
Perhaps it is time release the words from the closet and host a reunion of all the fun, interesting and lovely words which I have for far too long left there.
What do you think Grandma Fannie?
Written January 10, 2018
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