Showing posts with label lexicology. Show all posts
Showing posts with label lexicology. Show all posts

Wednesday, September 6, 2017

Wye – Wordplay Wednesday™ 9/06/17



Wordplay Wednesday Mind-Warper 

Short on time, so a little rhyme
       something to noodle your brain
Not for long, not like a song
       jus’ proving our language is insane!

WYE (wī) n. – 1) the letter Y; 2) something shaped like Y. [WW #128] 

Why?! Think about it … words that begin with Y, like yellow or yank, are uttered with your mouth like a U; and those that end with Y, sound like E, unless preceded by an A. Huh?

Soooooo, why does the Y begin with a double-U? And why isn’t it just spelled “Wi”? If there is no “sound” that equals a Y, why do we have it at all? 

Don’t ponder too long, it might stick like a song
    we'll never know Y, lest a spell is cast
One that will host, and conjure a ghost 
     of lexicographers past!

A simple reminder that life doesn’t always need to make sense, but we do need to make jolly fun of it once in a while, to maintain our sanity. Close your eyes and count to ten. When you open them, be intent on seeing the humorous absurdity of your surroundings.

Happy Hump Day!

Word Challenge: WYE. Good question … why? Observe the silliness … and even join in! … as you fit wye into your week of inane writings.

Write first for yourself … only then can you write for others. (L.Rochelle) 

                        


E-N-D

Wednesday, February 22, 2017

100th Wordplay Wednesday™ February 22, 2017 – Monoglot



100 is Great but 1 is Enough 

These days it isn’t merely beneficial, it’s nearly a necessity to speak more than one language. Silly me … I quit French in high school, oh so many years ago, to pick up another business class.

My crystal ball failed to show me how much languages would soon be such a gigantic asset in business. Story of my life. I can, however, still converse in Pig Latin; though I could use a little brush-up course. 😏

For Wordplay Wednesday’s 100th anniversary week, I chose an appropriate example. Note that even the dictionary seems to deride in tone, those who are not language-ambidextrous*; and only the lonely are a …

MONOGLOT (mänʹō glät’) adj.– speaking or writing only one language; n. a monoglot person. [WW #100.] 

While I have not opted to learn a second language, lexicology can often seem foreign. I refuse, however, to feel inferior for preferring to work toward mastering English. This monoglot holds her English head high, albeit a little crooked, in her word eccentricities.  

It should count that I often pick up on other languages through fun phrases and less crass sounding cuss words. Besides—why would I want to confuse myself with another set of grammarrules I don’t agree with? Being a monoglot has its advantages.

If I were to learn another language at this late date, I’d choose Gaelic. Why? It’s that of my heritage, plus it isn’t as prevalent as others, thus needs a little preservation boost. (And I’d like to know what those pesky Leprechauns are saying about me!)

Seriously though. If you have a hankering to visit another country, or think your business exploits may benefit with at least a conversational skill in an alternate language, or you simply love to learn—you are never too young or too old.

L'apprentissage est l'essence de la vie … Learning is the essence of life.

Cheers to our 100th Wordplay Wednesday!

Word Challenge: MONOGLOT. Enjoy mastering your language with pride and proficiency as you fit monoglot into your week of meaningful writings.

Write first for yourself … only then can you write for others. (L.Rochelle)

 
                       

*For those who have not read my column before, yes, I know I use words out of context and play with their meanings. Hence, the title “Wordplay.” If you can’t have fun in your own language, how can you appreciate another?

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