New Word Game for your Holiday Party!
This week, wordsmiths, we’re featuring a
school word! It’s likely you only heard it in school, and in my day (oh so long
ago) only if you took English classes that
dissected words and sentence structure to the nth degree. Ugh.
Has it been a while since you heard a school bell rudely awaken you
from your desk-nap? Let me remind you … (really loud) brrrrrriinnnngggg!
DIGRAPH (dīʹgrafʹ) n.
– a combination of two letters functioning as a unit to represent one sound
(Ex.: read, bread, chin, graphic.) [WW #192]
Sound boring? Let’s jazz it up. Are you
hosting or attending any Holiday parties
for family or friends? Introduce a new word game! Who can identify the most digraphs
in a Holiday related paragraph, in record time? It isn’t as easy to spot them
as you might think.
You’ll be surprised to notice that for a word
we rarely use, there are numerous digraphs in just a few sentences.
Make it more difficult—wait ‘til halfway through your party after everyone has enjoyed
a few eggnogs!
Feel free to use the sample below or create your
own, specific to your festive party goers. Ideas: compile a list of Holiday
song titles or lyrics; winter theme words; or dream of summertime with beach
words!
Sample paragraph with digraphs in italics: “The Holidays” hold
different meaning for each of us. Bringing people of diverse backgrounds and unique mores together, offers a window into optional attitudes to explore new philosophies in a non-threatening
setting. Cherish your family and friends, and urge them to enjoy and celebrate their
differences. It’s what makes us
human.
I counted eighteen. Did I miss any? The tricky
part is there are two words—philosophies and Cherish—that
are multiples. The former not only has three digraphs, but two of
those are next to each other, and the latter has two. Have fun!
Word Challenge: DIGRAPH. Hum a happy
Holiday tune, as you fit digraph into your week of festive
writings.
Learning knows no prejudices or boundaries, and it isn’t fattening!
Expanding your mind is a no-cost, simple joy. Do you feel that way too? What’s
your inspiration? Share your creative genius and Wordplay
Wednesday comments below.
Write first for yourself … only then can you write for others. (L.Rochelle)
LinDee Rochelle is a writer and editor by
trade, and an author by way of Rock & Roll. She has published two books (of
three) in her Blast from Your Past
series about pioneering R&R Radio DJs. The true behind-the-mic tales make
GREAT Holiday Gifts available on Amazon (eBook and print): Book 1 – Rock & Roll
Radio DJs: The First Five Years 1954-1959; and Book 2 – Rock & Roll Radio
DJs: The Swinging Sixties. Coming soon … The Psychedelic Seventies!
E-N-Dzzzzzzzz
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