Repost: Words Meant Things

Every other week my blog will feature a reposted work. I had been a contributor on two different sites that have since closed or no longer include blogs. I will be reposting pieces that had originally been featured on one of these two sites.  

This was originally posted June 20, 2011

My past three posts have been about how we use language in America.  I shared some reflections I had while reading a book titled, Language in America (1969).  Coincidentally, last week I observed an example of our modern polluted semantic environment.

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Secrets, Identities, and Power

One Halloween, when I was in middle school, I was trick-or-treating with my brothers and some other kids stole our candy.

My brothers and I were about five blocks from our house, walking up a street between neighborhoods, away from any houses. A car pulled up next to us, older kids jumped out, there was a scuffle, and they took our bags of candy. My brother had been picked on at school; it may have been those kids and their older friends and brothers. It may have just been a random act of meanness. 

We walked and ran the five blocks home.

I was scared. I was frustrated. And I was angry.

I was scared.

I open with this story because I want you to know that I have very vivid memories of being scared walking home at night.

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Repost: Language in America - 2

Every other week my blog will feature a reposted work. I had been a contributor on two different sites that have since closed or no longer include blogs. I will be reposting pieces that had originally been featured on one of these two sites.  

This was originally posted June 7, 2011

This is the second installment of my review of the book Languagein America published in 1969.  I would like to thank the Indiana Wesleyan University library for their book check-out policy for full time staff.  I think I’ve had the book for over a year.  It was worth every minute. 

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