Post by duff on Aug 11, 2011 1:11:09 GMT -5
The Right Word
Waylon Duff
Mark Twain once said, “ the difference between the right word and the wrong word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.” What Twain meant is that a word or sentence can portray a different meaning depending on it's context. If I where to tell you a certain individual was evil I believe
a understanding can be drawn about him or her, but if I where to tell you that that individual was demonic I am almost certain, that you could obtain a different meaning. Words are funny. Words are taken however the reader perceives them. The English language is an art form and pieces such as novels, short stories, non-fiction, or whatever it may be, express the deepest emotions or opions of the author. One of my favorite authors, Edgar Allan Poe, can make a reader cringe with the work of his pen. This separates a great author from a bad. If you can not feel as the author does then they are not worth reading. Language is an art and specific word choice can change the perception of the readers intake as a whole.
Music is an another great example of this. Music is created by playing notes of certain scales that portray moods. For instance, the major scale expresses happiness or beauty while the minor scale portrays depression or sadness. If I where to play you a melody and changed only one note, that solitary note could change the way you intake the melody and alter your mood at an instant. This is the beauty of art.
If there is no art how else do we express ourselves? Whether it is music, language, designing clothes, or painting, the fact is one minor change to the piece can change it as a whole. So the right word and the wrong truly is lightning versus a lightning bug. Lightning can kill but you can catch a lightning bug and
keep it as a pet. Lightning can tear your soul apart but lets face it, lightning bugs are just pretty to look at. What do you choose lightning or a lightning bug? Personally, I would rather harness the power of Zeus and make you feel my lightning. It doesn't matter how right your opinion is or how strong your emotions are, if I do not feel them I could care less.
In book VII of Plato's republic, he gives you the story of the cave. In this cave you are shackled to where you can only look one direction, towards a wall. Behind you is a light, and statues of earthly things which cast a shadow on the wall. If you where born in this cave what would you think? That is the point. Thought is perception, art is perception, and there will always be a deeper meaning dependent on how you perceive them. Certain words are deeper and can cast a different spell dependent on how you cast them. Remember demonic is different than evil, but can portray the same thing. They both describe evil, but one can mentally set up a more
frighting scene in your head. Words can be beautifully constructed to express oneself. Words are how we communicate. Nobody denies that fact, but the author has a variety to choose from. A great author will choose the right word. Who know what the bad author will do?
Waylon Duff
Mark Twain once said, “ the difference between the right word and the wrong word is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.” What Twain meant is that a word or sentence can portray a different meaning depending on it's context. If I where to tell you a certain individual was evil I believe
a understanding can be drawn about him or her, but if I where to tell you that that individual was demonic I am almost certain, that you could obtain a different meaning. Words are funny. Words are taken however the reader perceives them. The English language is an art form and pieces such as novels, short stories, non-fiction, or whatever it may be, express the deepest emotions or opions of the author. One of my favorite authors, Edgar Allan Poe, can make a reader cringe with the work of his pen. This separates a great author from a bad. If you can not feel as the author does then they are not worth reading. Language is an art and specific word choice can change the perception of the readers intake as a whole.
Music is an another great example of this. Music is created by playing notes of certain scales that portray moods. For instance, the major scale expresses happiness or beauty while the minor scale portrays depression or sadness. If I where to play you a melody and changed only one note, that solitary note could change the way you intake the melody and alter your mood at an instant. This is the beauty of art.
If there is no art how else do we express ourselves? Whether it is music, language, designing clothes, or painting, the fact is one minor change to the piece can change it as a whole. So the right word and the wrong truly is lightning versus a lightning bug. Lightning can kill but you can catch a lightning bug and
keep it as a pet. Lightning can tear your soul apart but lets face it, lightning bugs are just pretty to look at. What do you choose lightning or a lightning bug? Personally, I would rather harness the power of Zeus and make you feel my lightning. It doesn't matter how right your opinion is or how strong your emotions are, if I do not feel them I could care less.
In book VII of Plato's republic, he gives you the story of the cave. In this cave you are shackled to where you can only look one direction, towards a wall. Behind you is a light, and statues of earthly things which cast a shadow on the wall. If you where born in this cave what would you think? That is the point. Thought is perception, art is perception, and there will always be a deeper meaning dependent on how you perceive them. Certain words are deeper and can cast a different spell dependent on how you cast them. Remember demonic is different than evil, but can portray the same thing. They both describe evil, but one can mentally set up a more
frighting scene in your head. Words can be beautifully constructed to express oneself. Words are how we communicate. Nobody denies that fact, but the author has a variety to choose from. A great author will choose the right word. Who know what the bad author will do?