Once More With Feeling

cj Sez:  I decidedI should once again reorganize and clean-up the backup files for my blog the otherday, and it turned into a time-consuming exercise, like sorting through storageboxes in the attic. That meant I “had” to re-read every post todetermine if it should be archived longer or deleted. 


  I re-discovered the following 2016post about our dynamic English language that I think is worthwhile repeating onemore time.

  …. A friend sent me this quote from journalist SolSanders: 

“Perhaps the glory of the English language is that it so expressive.Its remarkable heterogeneous origins have given it an almost limitlessvocabulary. And American English, particularly, has used that tool with anenormous flexibility to make it the international means of communication. Oneis able with a minimum of linguistic dexterity to capture every meaning, oralmost every nuance.”

  Mr.Sanders’s comments were part of an introduction to his essay on what today’sjournalism and media do with the English language. The gist of his blog was thatjournalism and media people overcomplicate their sentences with words thatmuddy their meanings—changing nouns into verbs and, perhaps, calling a shovel a“hand-held, earth-moving tool.” (True. I’ve seen these kinds of descriptions in engineeringtechnical specifications papers also.)
  Yes, as awriter, I use nouns as verbs. Yes, I deliberately obfuscate and happily add thedisclaimer that it’s for the sake of telling the story. I am drawn to thesyntax, symbolism, and syncopation of a well-crafted sentence that is the hallmarkof successful poets and mystery/thriller/suspense novelists. It’s using that“minimum of linguistic dexterity to capture every meaning, or almost everynuance” that appeals to me, and, I think, to readers of those genres. 
  Readerswant to try to decipher the code, find the clues, and solve the crime. As a genre writer, I likeconfusing the issue. That said, I do have a few personal dislikes of changingnouns into verbs. One is the word “impactful”—a noun turned into a verb turnedinto an adjective by adding “ful” on the end. What the Sam Hill does that mean?   The truth is that English is a living language.It’s constantly evolving as we create new words and new definitions tocompliment new technology. Therein lies a conundrum:  The generations cease to understand eachother at an almost exponential pace.
  Coda:  IMHO, (that's 'text speak') the gloriously expressive Englishlanguage is what makes the craft of writing so fascinating.
  I’m stillworking on my craft. How are you doing with yours?
§§

  I absolutely love that Calvin cartoon. 

  That's it for this week's post. You-all guys keep on keeping on, and I'll try to do the same. 
  Raising prayers for a happy andsafe summer…with lots of time for reading!
cjGreat vacation reads!  My booksare available on Amazon or through your favorite eTailer and bookstore.
Little note: TheHaunted Book Shop has a few signed copies of my books in stock. TO ORDER,contact: https://www.thehauntedbookshopmobile.com/contact-us  (If she happens to be out, drop me a note--I also have a smallstash.) Angela Trigg, the awesome owner and a RITA Award-winning author in herown right (writing as Angela Quarles) will be happy to ship you any book(s) byany author of your choice.
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