Who wouldn’t fall for the lady in this picture (look at her lips, she’s saying the word “idiot“)? But that’s not the point. When you see all what you can do with words, it’s amazing how savvy investors don’t put more of their savings into the blooming vocabulary sector. Words are so useful and entertaining that people never seem to get tired of them. A word here, a word there, and the day is done.
Don’t explain. Describe. Well, my dears, that’s what you’re expected to learn at finishing school. But how about the words that fall somewhere between description and explanation, in a linguistic no man’s land? (if this sounds obscure (or scandinavian) to you, just think about the first sentences that you usually pronounce right after an orgasm : would you call them descriptive or explanatory?).
Is there anything cooler than conscience? When you come to think about it, you can match any word of your fancy with conscience! Do you realize what this means : any word! A whole glossary! You’v'e certainly heard about that sect in the north of Denmark that worships the alphabet. It has been reported that every time the guru shows the letter Ø to the audience, 73 % of the female members will instantly scream and faint. The rest will just sit speechless, with an undecipherable expression on their face.
From time to time, you read some stuff about how it helps to be semi-mad to be creative. Well, one doesn’t know. After all, one can’t be a judge in one’s own case. But then, you hear, you recall or you hum some haunting lyrics, without paying particular attention to them (after all, they’re all words). For instance, these ones, taken from The windmills of your mind : “Like a tunnel that you follow/To a tunnel of its own/Down a hollow to a cavern/Where the sun has never shone“. This part (and in fact, the whole song) is a very accurate rendition of the climax of a manic-depressive experience. Through pure wordcraft, the authors (Marilyn and Alan Bergman) are capable, during a few minuts, to connect the listener to this other dimension of reality and perception that is ruled by the implicate order described by the late quantum physicist David Bohm. As you’ve already been told, you have no idea how far words will take you. And this is just a beginning…
Between 1982 and 2005, I’ve seen a lot of soothsayers, astrologers and clairvoyants. Usually they would mention a certain Nadine : “I can hear the name Nadine. Is there a Nadine around you?“. Well darling, this is not a very popular name in my inner circle. But I must face the possibility that I’m being followed by some sort of ghost calling herself Nadine (and that – horresco referens – she could be my real self).
These ladies should have known better. In fact, it’s 100 % of our food that is made of words. Just look at any recipe. What do you see? Words, and words and words! Yes : all of our food consists of words. Yes Mam : this is just fact (and how about that one : facts are made of words!). So before swallowing anything, no matter how alluring, check every word thoroughly. You might discover some hidden consonant that you can’t stand. This advice will save your social life for great embarrassment. After all, you don’t always have a paper bag at hand. And you wouldn’t be seen, throwing up a full serving of half-cooked fricatives.
