Word Play


I can't remember not reading.  I memorized a little book about children who had baby chicks, sometime around age 4, and began to truly read, I think, not long after that.  Like me, my children were both reading at age 5 -- in large part, apparently, because they were read to.  Regardless,  we three love words.  My son memorizes them in scripts form, and uses them to create lyrics for the music he plays on his electric guitar(s).  My daughter writes, as do I.  She is yet unpublished; I've been published -- a little.  And...I read a book (or so) a week, eking out time when I am eating, knitting, listening to music or walking (hey, I live alone; I don't read when I'm eating with company).

In the past few weeks, a preacher I enjoy has done some sermons on the power of words -- our words, as well as the Word of God.  My early morning devotional reading has been taken up with Dallas Willard's  Hearing God: Developing a Conversational Relationship with God (emphasis mine).

A recent podcast, "Book Lust", featured interviewer Nancy Pearl talking with wordsmith, Anu Garg, whose blog and his word-a-day posts have become very popular.  He talked not only about his love of words, but the origin and history of language(s).  I learned, to my fascination, that my native tongue -- English -- and his -- Hindi -- actually stem from the same ancient root -- 5,000 years old -- and even have some words in common!

Despite the fact that modern technology has butchered grammar and spelling (just ask Lynne Truss), language is here to stay; the way to get ahead in this communications-mad world is to possess a deep and rich vocabulary, along with a sense of humour and a lively imagination.  I mention the latter because I've become quite captivated by the little made-up "words" used for 'security' when one posts to a blog -- so much so, that this week I collected the ones I was asked to type for my postings.

Gentle Readers, if these were to be incorporated into our daily English language, what do you think they'd mean?

• cophow - or should it be 'co-phow', as in 'co-worker to a phow'?
• avingst - as in, perhaps, "Avingst ye, me hearties!" in the next production of Pirates of the Caribbean?
• imalie - or.."Imalie" -- a pretty name for a new baby girl?
• antibrea - are you pro- or anti-brea?  ;-)
• parco - an abbreviation for 'par for the course' that one can use when sending a text message?
• diontin - a new over-the-counter cold remedy?
• colessne - ??
• phougene - or..."Phougene", twin brother of Eugene?

and last, but not least...

• flyro - a new short-hop commuter airline service?  "GO with Flyro, and get there on time!"

I'd love to hear what you come up with...