Taking a look at what’s up
Words can often have different meanings, especially with the English language. While I am not a language expert, I appreciate words and their meanings and learned to appreciate a dictionary long before computers and the internet came about.
You don’t have to be a linguist to appreciate words. Having a curiosity about the language is illuminating and edifying. I was fascinated upon learning that Shakespeare originated 1,700 words.
I confess that there have been a few times when I “invented” a couple of words. One was when I hit my thumb with a hammer, rather than the nail.
Recently, I ran across a news account about a linguistic competition which took place in London. Even if apocryphal, it is worthy of passing on.
Apparently, this is an annual gathering for this particular linguistic group. There was the question that had to do with the words “complete” and “finished.” It was suggested that, “No English dictionary has been able to adequately explain the difference between these two words.”
It was further reported that a Guyanese man was a clear winner, with a standing ovation that lasted over five minutes. Some say there is no difference between complete and finished, but the winner had this explanation which brought down the house.
“When you marry the right woman, you are complete,” he said. “When you marry the wrong woman, you are finished. When the right one catches you with the wrong one, you are completely finished.”
When you are exposed to something useful on the internet, it is like hearing a good joke. You enjoy it and pass it on. The author of the following is likely to make you extend a thumbs UP for coming UP with this delightful vignette.
“Up is a two-letter word that has more meanings than any other two letter word in the English language” the treatise began. “You likely will agree with me when we are done.
“If you consult your dictionary, you will find that “up” is listed as an adverb, adjective, noun, verb or preposition. It is easy to understand “up” meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?
“At a meeting, why does a topic come UP. Why do we speak UP, and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report? We call UP our friends, brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen? We lock UP our house and fix UP the old car.
“At other times, this little word has very special meanings. People stir UP trouble, line UP for theater tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.
“To be dressed is one thing, but to be dressed UP is special. How ‘bout the use of UP as follows: A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP.
“We open UP a store in the morning, but we close it UP at night.
“You can easily tell that we English speaking people are pretty mixed UP about UP.
“To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP, look UP the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost a quarter of a page and can add UP to about 30 definitions.
“If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don’t give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.
“When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out, we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, the earth soaks it UP. When it does not rain for a while, things dry UP. One could go on and on, but it is time to wrap UP for now, my time is UP.
“For a post mortem, did this crack you UP? If the answer is yes, then don’t screw UP. Send this to your friends unless you choose not to take the time. It s UP to you, and if you want to scream, shut UP, then that is certainly okay.” Selah!