Meaning.....

Ahhh it's Spin time. I've been thinking about this one a lot through the last week. For a while all that I came up with was

"wheel of morality turn, turn, turn, tell us the lesson that we should learn." "turny, turny, turny, turny."

Which tells you that my brain wasn't really in the contemplations for a while. (For those of you that are wondering that's from Animaniacs).

However, I think I now know the direction that I want this to take.

Think about words. Where did they come from? Why do we have so many that mean the same thing? How do we know that the words that we are using are the correct ones? Who came up with what means what?

Well the most basic answer is that most words originate from Latin basis. But not all. And where did the Latin language originate? When you think about it often a word comes from someone just making it up. I do it often when I can't find the right words to say what I want. So who's to say that didn't happen umpteen whatsits years ago.

I think that often we need so many words to say the same thing because we put different variances on them, or we want to be original, we want our words to be remembered. So we use descriptive words that make us unique to someone else. But think about it do we really need this excess of words. Chew, Masticate, Gnaw. Pretty, Beautiful, Stunning, Gorgeous. Flashy, Flamboyant, Glittery, Bling. And so on. How did so many words come about?? What's the reasoning behind all the descriptive words we use. Heck we even have words to describe WORDS! Flowery, Romantic, Terse, Glib, Flowing.

Also I've often sat awake on insomniatic nights and wondered to myself how we know that what we are calling things is what we were intended to. Think about it. At some point someone chose to write down a dictionary of language. A chart of what words meant. But what if once the master copy was done what if it was handed off to a lackey to make copies of. Often copiers weren't required to be able to read. They just had to make a copy of what was written..And who's to say they didn't get messed up down the line. We've all done it, just bumped that second column up one and suddenly it doesn't match what's in the first column. So now the description for a door is across from the word chair....how are we to know the difference. I know that there are ways to prove me wrong in written history somehow. But that's what I'm talking about, the unwritten history, what came before we put it all in some kind of log.

I'm rambling a bit I know. However, I think that what I'm getting at is this. We all have our own personal language. And it is the intention behind the words that gives them power. (My Nana only ever called my Grandpa "Richard" in my hearing, But she had about 50 different ways of inflecting on it that let you know exactly how she was feeling). There is no right or wrong way to use words or speak. The goal is communication. And if you can communicate with someone, well you are lucky. So think before you speak think of the words you are using and why. Think of the impact they will have on the people around you. Words have the potential to change the world. Because even the tiniest ripple (like that new phrase you came up with just yesterday) can become a wave. Words are just words yes, but how you use them, the inflection you put behind them, the raw meaning is all part of what is being communicated.

For more great Spins about words check out Sprite's Keeper!