Words, time and dictionary

I am representing one of the most influential instruments in communication - Words ! Yes, Words! They are like those seven notes of music. You arrange those notes to make music. And in the  capable hands of a musician, music transforms into emotions.

Like well arranged notes becoming music, those tiny, complex shapes we call ‘alphabets’, when arranged become words. And organised words become communication. And communication is the is the foundation upon which the entire humanity has built its civlization. Unfortunately, human beings use different type of communication, loosely called as languages. And that’s where I come into picture. I carry those beautiful combinations of alphabets within me. My name is ‘Dictionary’

I am thrilled to be here ! This is the place where communication connects people and ideas. Where words are respected. Where I am most alive. But, I am not here to talk to you about me. I am here to talk about ‘words and time !

What better place to talk about ‘time’, than when you’re about to turn the page to welcome a bright new year ? But as you turn the page, it’s also important to look back at time, to learn and to understand from the past. Because time can make many things obsolete by pushing them into the valley of oblivion. Believe me in saying this, i have also lost many I loved to time.

Top of my list is charming young man called ‘Hodad’ ! No, no…Hodad has nothing to do with the ‘Dad’ I am carrying in my pages. Hodad is a word from the ‘ beach boys’ era, meaning “ a non-surfer who frequents surfing beaches pretending to be a surfer”! I suppose the men have matured and stopped pretending, leaving poor Hodad out of my pages.

Speaking about men and maturity, reminds me of ‘Snollygoster’ ! A snollygoster is a shrewd, unprincipled person. Late American president Harry S Trumen loved this word, and sometimes used it to refer to members of the opposition party. Well, I guess you don’t call anyone a snollygoster anymore but call them an ‘A**hole’ instead! I have reluctantly removed snollygoster and added that vulgar reference to the posterior part of your body to my pages. 

Science and changing value system also impacts the words in my pages. One of the classic example is the loss of the villainous word ‘Alienism’. Can you imagine the science of psychiatry was once called Alienism ? This term was phased out due to its offensive connotation of connecting the word ‘alien’ with mentally challenged patients. Some losses to cheer for !

Growing popularity of one could also push another to oblivion. An example is how ‘Deliciate’ lost out to ‘Delicate’, though both stemmed from the same latin word ‘delicates’ ! But when Delicate means a ‘very fine or intricate texture or structure, Deliciate means ‘to amuse or please oneself by indulging in feasting’ !With this confusing etymology, I had to do the delicate balancing act of dropping Deliciate. 

Like a withering flower there are also some grand words, which withers away to oblivion over the period of time. ‘Supereogation’ is one such word ! Sounding like an advanced form of interrogation, isn’t it ? But when coined, Supereogaton was used mostly in religious contexts, to indicate ‘going above and beyond what is required by duty, obligation or need’. A grand word and a grand exit !

Lastly, I must introduce you to forgotten child of mine called ‘Yonker’. A yonker simply refers to a young man or child! Adorable, isn’t he ?

I guess I must stop here. My pages are getting wet with tears. I don’t want to sound melancholic at a time like this. This is a time when all of you are looking forward to the future with stars in your eyes.I have just one advice to you all. “ Be always respectful of time. Because no matter how clever, revolutionary or poignant, the passage of time can render anything obsolete- even words !”