I learnt a new word today, “niggardly”, which means to be frugal, thrifty, or stingy. In what is apparently the new normal, I learnt of its existence from a tv show. I had to actually look it up and yes, it is a real word. I was gob smacked, not only because of the racial undertones and complexities of the word, which were so aptly captured in, “The Good Fight,” but also because of the sheer vastness of the English Language. These 26 letters that mould and shape part of our existence outside of the mother language that we are born with, which more often than not, contributes significantly to who we end up being.
When I was in my early twenties, I once got dumped because, “unoshandisa shandisa ma big words and hazvisi necessary” I did not misquote any of that, that is verbatim. My then easily affected spirit was distraught, maybe I DO indeed use words that make the S.O. of the moment uncomfortable and I should have chosen my words more carefully. I shrunk away from making the other person feel inadequate apparently because I had used words other than what he was used to. Sigh. I look back and laugh at it now. What has NOT changed is perhaps my use of words other than the routine. Don’t get me wrong I mean I don’t go out purposely looking for cumbersome words, difficult to pronounce and uncommon in use, no, for me it just, happens. There is no better explanation, sometimes I wish there were.
I would like to think my job has actually made it worse. I will give an example, if a friend texts to ask me whether what we talked about the previous day is still constant and true, whether we are still on? I will highlight the message and say, refer to the same. I have since learnt that is not common language, in a world full of lawyers, that is my daily bread. When I switched to the corporate world we would often bicker with my superior about the use of complicated language. It did not make sense to me because I did not use Latin, neither did I necessarily go out of my way to use legal maxims, but its still a constant source of contention.
There are words that fascinate me, how they sound, how they roll off the tongue, reconnaissance, rendezvous, serendipity, worcestershire, the whole pronunciation trap gamut. It makes me happy to learn a new word, inexplicably so, but then we all have our little hobbies. Once, a very dear friend of mine and I were travelling with her family, her 5-year-old niece seemed fidgety, to this day I do not know why and to this day she will not let me live it down, I looked at him and asked, “do you have an inclination to urinate?” Insert the most vicious of face palms here. One of those stories and moments you speak innocently and never want to relive.
I will end my language sojourn with the memory of my whiz husband who despite my continuous efforts to expand my vocabulary range as widely as I can, STILL beat me every single time. I know the words “ennui” and "epinephrine" Courtesy of his gorgeous mind. "Emotional distress" and "adrenaline" are the meanings, respectively, for anyone who was wondering, His blessed soul was able to let me know in the softest and kindest of ways that I had been spelling the word, “weird” wrong my entire life, despite being the family encyclopedia. In my defense, I maintain, it makes much more sense, when the “i”, comes before the “e” and I’m sticking to my guns.
Our words forge us, they express to the world what our thoughts are, they communicate intentions and determine whether we are rallied behind or boo-ed off the stage. They have sent men to wars and inspired peace, they have communicated our hearts desires and hidden our darkest secrets, It would be foolish to underestimate their power. As revealing as letters forming words are wont to be, it is also headily empowering to harness and wield their force. I hope we all have it within us, with every word, in each day, to convey our thoughts in exactly the manner we want them to be perceived.
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