"Constant exposure to a torrent of information means that, while we may not know precisely what all these terms mean, we are at least aware of them. . . . Since none of us can know more than a small fraction of the total word population, a dictionary will always be a place of infinite discovery and delight. . . . You may take up a dictionary to settle an argument, but you put it down, much, much later, with a sigh of pleasure, chuffed at the sheer exuberance of the world's most exuberantly nimble language."
--From Jeremy Paxman's foreword to the 11th edition of the Chambers Dictionary
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5 comments:
Words, words, everywhere, and all the concepts did shrink. Words, words, everywhere, and not a thought to think.
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The pleasure of the dictionary can only be ephemeral, at best. It gives a static definition, which does nothing to develop the complexities found in critical thought beyond explaining the individual components of a thought. One can be aware of the definition of words, yet fail to grasp the implications of a train of thought.
Words are pragmatic tools.
Yes, but what wonderful tools they can be. Each one holds within it such a depth of usage, harboring years of increasingly subtle meaning, slightly shaded by every speaker who has used it. Language holds history and heritage, life and generational knowledge. Don't be so hasty to deprecate the medium through which you assert such!
Oh, I value words. But, it is not for their nuances, legacies, or dynamism. Rather, it is for their ability to articulate a thought, share an emotion, and communicate an opinion.
haha funny how well this debate microscopically encapsulates the sides of the issue. Are words mere tools? or should they have the focus over the message?
Words are like water: essential, ubiquitous, and easily taken for granted. Water may be mundane, a mere utilitarian aspect of existence, but it can also be striking, mesmerizing, or overwhelmingly beautiful. Whether you think about how long those droplets have been circulating through the atmosphere, or examine the form and function at the molecular level, water is amazing. And that, I submit to you, is precisely the nature of words.
July 19, 2008 12:09 PM
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