words

On My Mind This Morning: Words and a Gift

March 5, 2016 at 10:12 am by Claudia

Thank you for the fascinating discussion yesterday! I loved reading your comments.

You know by now that my life largely centers around words. It’s what I do for a living; I teach and coach speech, dialects, text and voice. All of that is about words and their use and how that changes according to the context in which the words are written. That includes regionalisms and dialects and how they change the texture and rhythm of speech.

I write this blog daily. Words. I write another blog that is all about books and literature. I read and review books. Words. I minored in English Language and Literature. I majored in Drama and Speech. Words and the use of them and, yes, misuse of them, and topics like ‘trendy’ word usage are always on my mind. Occasionally I will write about those things because they fascinate me. And I will have opinions about those things, just as you have opinions about them. No one, including me, uses words ‘correctly’ all of the time. If I tried to do that, I would be so self-conscious and self-aware in the moment that the emotion that fuels my words would be stifled. Who could live that way?

So, I hope you understand that I can comment on current trends in word usage and the ways in which words have been changed, for example, from a noun to a verb, and still respect and honor the incredible variety of sounds, speech, regionalisms, and dialects that are out there. Try as I might, and as careful as I am about the posts I write, I write a blog post every day and chances are I will offend someone at sometime. That is never my intention. Nor is it my intention to make anyone feel self-conscious. Everyone’s voice is welcome here.

Okay. On to something else.

My friend Barbara sent me a package. I picked it up at the post office yesterday and had to wait while I got an oil change and my tires rotated and then stopped at Target before I finally got home and could open it! Do you want to see what was inside?

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These are acrylic jewelry stands which are being repurposed as tables and desks by miniaturists. Since I have a couple of modern projects going, these will be perfect!

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Love this cup and saucer! Barbara ordered it from the Etsy shop Twelvetimesmoreteeny. I’ve several plates from that same shop in Hummingbird Cottage.

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This modern table is from The Little Dollhouse Company. Perfect! The question is: will it go in the Top Secret Project or in the Loft that I got from Target?

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And this miniature dollhouse is also from The Little Dollhouse Company. It’s for Caroline to work on. Somehow, Barbara knew that Caroline had been bugging me about getting her own dollhouse.

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Cool!

Also in the package was a piece of pottery belonging to Barbara which she decided should be in Mockingbird Hill Cottage. I am very grateful.

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A gorgeous basket in the Clematis pattern. Isn’t it lovely?

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The other side.

Thank you so much, Barbara! Goodness, you should have seen the smile on my face as I was unpacking everything!

And speaking of words, Rest in Peace, Pat Conroy. I loved your writing and the passion you had for words and literature. Thank you.

Happy Saturday.

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Pet Peeves: I’m Talking About Words Today

March 4, 2016 at 9:25 am by Claudia

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The following thoughts about language are mine. They might not be yours.

From time to time, I write about words. Usually, I’m thinking about the misuse of certain words, or the gradual bastardization of a word that then becomes something other than what it truly means.

For example – awesome. Awe is a powerful emotion: ‘A feeling of reverential respect mixed with fear and wonder.’ Therefore, if someone is filled with awe…well, that’s simply wondrous. Of course, ‘awesome’ has been bastardized into something people routinely use in any circumstance.

“I finished writing my paper.” “Awesome!”

“I had an apple for lunch.” “Awesome!”

You get the picture.

Or, literally – which is the opposite of ‘figuratively.’ Right? But now, it has come to mean not literally, but figuratively. As in ‘I literally died when I saw him walk in the room!’ No, you didn’t. You figuratively died when you saw him walk in the room. You used the word incorrectly.

But no more. Now dictionaries are including a definition that includes ‘figuratively.’ So, apparently it’s okay to misuse the word. But why is it okay? If enough people misuse it, it’s okay? If I had a dime for every time I’ve heard someone on television misuse that word, I would be a wealthy woman.

Don’t get me started. I refuse to partake.

What’s irritating me today? (I can be such a curmudgeon!)

Maker. You must have seen it on blogs. Instead of using a specific word, such as ‘artist’ or ‘crafter’ or ‘quilter’ or ‘potter’ or ‘knitter’ or ‘oil painter’ or ‘furniture designer’ or ‘builder,’ we are now seeing the word ‘Maker.’ Everywhere.

Oh, please. It sounds incredibly pretentious.

And furthermore, really? I don’t understand. Does that mean because I make messes, make mistakes, make coffee, make someone happy, make up time, make myself crazy, make a sandwich, that I’m a Maker? Wow.

Technically, this isn’t a misuse. No, someone decided to coin this word, thinking it was better than the perfectly fine words already in use, and everyone has jumped on the bandwagon because we’re in the world of blogs. Which is also a new word, but in this case, it was coined to define something entirely new in this age of computers. So that’s okay.

Do me a favor. Please do not call me a Maker. I create, yes. I like to make scarves by crocheting them; crocheting being the actual activity, which is different than, for example, painting in water colors.

I like to quilt, knit, crochet, work on miniatures, work on my dollhouse. But I refuse to be a Maker.

And, I have a particular pet peeve with the word gifted. This particular use of the noun ‘gift’ started to show itself several years ago and it drives me nuts! You give a gift. You give a present. Someone gave me a gift for my birthday. It was a gift, given to me by my students. Thank you for the gift of your time. Thank you for the wonderful gift that you chose for me.

The verb is ‘to give.’ The action is giving.

Please do not ‘gift’ me with anything. Yes, I know that, once again, dictionaries are including this as a usage simply because it has become so prevalent in everyday use.

But not me. I can promise you that I will never ‘gift’ you with anything. I would love to give you a gift. Or present you with a gift. Or choose the perfect gift for you.

Yes, I know that language changes, that it morphs over time. After all, I work with words for a living. I get it. However, in my little world, I have strong feelings about its misuse as well as cutesy, pretentious terms for things that have perfectly adequate, and quite specific, names already.

Sometimes it just feels good to get on my little soapbox. I have to get these thoughts out. Don and I talk about this sort of thing all the time.

Since these thoughts are my personal language pet peeves, how about sharing some of yours? I bet you’ll point out things I hadn’t even thought of.

Happy Friday.

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Tuesday Thoughts: Hay Bales, Morning Glories & Words

September 1, 2015 at 9:23 am by Claudia

• From my walk yesterday:

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Via the iPhone.

They’re like sculptures.

• It’s September and, thank goodness, there are still flowers blooming everywhere. Roses, phlox, geraniums, zinnias, rudbeckia, and morning glories.

9-1 Morning Glory

Morning glories grown from seed are unpredictable. We had morning glories growing along two long lengths of a chain link fence when we were living in San Diego. Blooms were everywhere and they emerged like clockwork. They were perennials in that climate.

Here? It’s different from year to year. I soak the seeds, plant them in the ground and, very slowly, little vines appear. By about August, the vines are twining around the chicken wire fence. The first year I planted morning glory seeds, I had lush blooms for a month or so. Everywhere.

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I’ve come to realize that every year will be different. Case in point: this year, the spindliest vines that look like they could be uprooted in a strong wind are producing the flowers. The lush and long vines that are providing lots of leaves and growth? Not a bloom in sight. I live in hope, however. Every day I examine those vines for signs of a little bud.

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So far – nothing. This one is on one of the smallish vines.

• Every once in a while, I write about language, usually in the form of a pet peeve concerning current usage. At the moment, I’ve got two of them swirling around in my brain. I’m absolutely sure there are more, but these examples have been especially troublesome lately.

And before you say anything, I’m sure the dictionary has already expanded its original definitions to include these changes, but then again, some dictionaries have now caved as to the meaning of ‘literal’ to include a definition that is “Used to acknowledge that something is not literally true but is used for emphasis or strong feeling.” (See this link.)

Ummm…that isn’t the meaning of ‘literal.’

Just because a lot of people are misusing a word, i.e., literal, doesn’t mean we should change the meaning to accommodate them.

Number One (and I’ve mentioned this one before): Curate. If I see it one more time I’m going to scream. As in: bloggers ‘curating’ a collection. In reality? They picked their favorites. It’s a rather grandiose way to describe something we all do at some point when looking at items online. A curator is someone who cares for and tends to and chooses a collection, as in someone who works for a museum. That sort of curator has years of training and expertise and knowledge. If some online store asks a blogger to choose their favorite pieces, which is, in effect, an advertising and promotional tool for that store, that’s what is being done. Favorites are picked. Curated? No.

Number Two: Gifted. Gift is a noun. If I receive a gift, I am being given a gift by the giver. If I wrap a present, I am giving a gift to someone. Give is a beautiful word. Why cheapen it and the selfless action of giving by saying ‘gifted?’

It drives me a wee bit nuts. And I hear it everywhere.

Yes, I know language changes. After all, a great deal of my professional work is about language. But taking a word and making it ‘less than’ makes no sense at all to me.

You give a gift.

A curator is an expert who devotes him/herself to working with and caring for a collection.

But then again, and I’ve also talked about this before, suddenly everyone is an ‘expert’ in this online world.

I know a whole lot about certain subjects, but I’d never call myself an expert. That’s not false modesty, it’s just the truth.

Sigh.

Happy Tuesday.

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On My Mind This Morning: Words and a Gift

Pet Peeves: I’m Talking About Words Today

Tuesday Thoughts: Hay Bales, Morning Glories & Words

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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