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This may seem like a sidetrack from today’s talks about being a lady, but it actually fits perfectly. A real lady or gentleman should, in my opinion, be intelligent and well-spoken. People have gotten lazy these days in both their writing and their speaking, but it’s never too late to change for the better.
Today I’ve dusted off some of the wonderful words I had stashed away in my head like “uncouth”, “genial” and a few others. I have a good vocabulary, but for the sake of appealing to the average reader, I’ve resigned myself to using more common language. You all know I’m a bit of a stickler for good grammar and spelling, but I held back on the words you don’t hear much anymore. How silly of me! I’m not setting a very good example if I’m not living to my full potential, now am I?
I’ve been using another little trick lately too, and since no one has mentioned it, I wonder if anyone has noticed. I bookmarked the Merriam-Webster Word of The Day in my browser toolbar. Every day I try to remember to click the link and look at the word. I will then use that word in one of my posts that day. I already used today’s word, and I’ve scattered some interesting words through my posts over the last week or so. I enjoy learning new words and reminding myself of ones I knew but stopped using.
Ignorance is not a good thing. Society has been trying to teach us that smart is uncool, but if you really look, you’ll see that geek and intellectual entertainment are on the rise. Terms like “polymath” and “gentleman scholar” are making their way back. There is a desire among people to end the low thinking and low behavior that currently pervades society.
There’s nothing wrong and almost everything right with brushing up on your speaking and writing skills. Learn new words and speak or write with confidence. It’s a good thing to be intelligent and articulate, no matter what the norm is right now. Show the world that we have brains for a reason, and it can be a joy to use them.
