Friday, November 26, 2010

Where Words Get Their Power, at Novel Spaces

I'm posting over at Novel Spaces today on the topic of Where Words Get Their Power. I hope you'll drop by for a read.

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12 comments:

  1. Where? In the use the people make of it.

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  2. Deka Black has a point.

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  3. I left some thoughts over at Novel Spaces. I've been thinking about this same topic in relation to teaching expository writing.

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  4. On my way there now, Charles.

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  5. Thanks everyone. I appreciate your thoughts.

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  6. Charles-it could have been the writing that healed the women or just the time to herself...

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  7. I agree that certain words lose their power with over-use and it is difficult to replace them, if they can even be replaced.

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  8. Thanks for all the comments.

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  9. `When I use a word,' Humpty Dumpty said, in rather a scornful tone, `it means just what I choose it to mean -- neither more nor less.'

    `The question is,' said Alice, `whether you can make words mean so many different things.'

    `The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, `which is to be master -- that's all.'

    Alice was too much puzzled to say anything; so after a minute Humpty Dumpty began again. `They've a temper, some of them -- particularly verbs: they're the proudest -- adjectives you can do anything with, but not verbs -- however, I can manage the whole lot of them! Impenetrability! That's what I say!'

    `Would you tell me please,' said Alice, `what that means?'

    `Now you talk like a reasonable child,' said Humpty Dumpty, looking very much pleased. `I meant by "impenetrability" that we've had enough of that subject, and it would be just as well if you'd mention what you mean to do next, as I suppose you don't mean to stop here all the rest of your life.'

    `That's a great deal to make one word mean,' Alice said in a thoughtful tone.

    `When I make a word do a lot of work like that,' said Humpty Dumpty, `I always pay it extra.'

    `Oh!' said Alice. She was too much puzzled to make any other remark.

    `Ah, you should see 'em come round me of a Saturday night,' Humpty Dumpty went on, wagging his head gravely from side to side, `for to get their wages, you know.'

    (Alice didn't venture to ask what he paid them with; and so you see I can't tell you.)

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  10. Great post over there Charles!

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  11. Ivan, yes indeed. I guess Alice knew it. "Mimsy were the Borgoves,"

    Gaston Jane, thanks for dropping by over there and commenting.

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