WORDSMITH WEDNESDAY!

INTERROBANG!

Did that punctuation term get your attention!?

Thanks to fellow librarian ljj, for introducing me on "Teaching Tuesday"  to this fused question mark and exclamation point. Think simultaneous question, somewhat rhetorical, & exclamation. Interrogative with a bang................

Fusing the emoji !? makes perfect since to me.....my mind often fuses words on its own.

Interrobang is a noun for this non-standard punctuation mark, indicating a question expressed in an exclamatory manner! Mother had a way of using them often when she was aghast at my behavior.

What on earth do you think you are doing, playing with my make-up .........

 

According to my research, the mark has only been in use since 1961.

God's word reminds us to let our words be few. (Ecclesiastes 5:2) He that restrains lips is wise. (Proverbs 10:19b)

Perhaps the interrobang allows us to say much with fewer words.

What do  you think......

WORDSMITH REFLECTIONS

It's that time again---the drawing close of one year opening up to the coming of 2021!

OED had so many words to choose from for "Word of the Year" they expanded and encompassed several as "Words of an Unprecedented Year." A restating of "unprecedented" seems all encompassing, albeit over-used to me. According to the article, the use of pandemic increased 57,000% in 2020.

WARNING--Don't multiply words without knowledge. (Job 35:16)

All of this intellectual repartee had me considering what few words (Ecclesiastes 6:11, Proverbs 10:19) defined my year with the underlying word of HOPE.......

JANUARY--Pause & Listen (before seeking)

FEBRUARY--Angst---it was a leap year and there was no February 29 in my devotional book

MARCH--New Normal (w/COVID-19)

APRIL--COVID testing--my first of 2, both negative

MAY--FOHOF (Fear Of Hurting Others Feelings--text talk hard for the aged)

JUNE--DRIVE-BY (Birthdays)

JULY--Social-distancing

AUGUST--STROKE

SEPTEMBER--Fishing

OCTOBER--Wearisome

NOVEMBER--Twosome

DECEMBER--BLURRS-DAY

Mask up, Memphis. I still want to be vigilant & hopeful in my word gathering in 2021.

IMPORTANT INFINITIVES

Today's morning devotional, All to Jesus, (Day 301) listed verses in Proverbs dealing with word usage and speech patterns. 

Author, Robert Morgan, listed 3 infinitives:

1. to shut up (Proverbs 10:19) There are definitely times we need to close our mouths. In 2020, My One Word has been "listen." I have learned, sometimes the hard way, the necessity of listening in order to hear from others.
2. to build up (Hebrews 10:25b) Edification and encouragement are so needed especially this year of COVID & elections. Political ads tear one another down yet, God's word continues to remind us..."but encourage one another."
3. to speak up (Proverbs 31:8) "Speak up for the ones who have no voice." "Be prepared (in gentleness and respect) to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give an answer for the hope within you." (Hebrews 10:25b, my paraphrase) Two excellent times to choose to use your voice.

So there you have it----speech patterns from the Proverbs that give "important infinitives" for life.

CHOOSE: PITHY

Tweets are pithy. 'Cept I don't tweet. 
I get all atwitter just thinking about it. 
Blogging can be pithy, tho often mine are not----at least I can "choose pithy" as I blog today.

Pithy is often so much harder than wordiness! All wordsmith's recognize that writing hazard. Saying the most with the fewest words is more appropriate for today's hurried lifestyles.

Scripture itself supports the use of fewer, yet meaningful, words. In Job 16:3, the question is asked, "Is there no limit to windy words?" 
That's what superfluous words are like---hot air. 

More words can lead to confusion. Ecclesiastics 6:11 states, "For there are many words which increase futility."

Possibly if I choose to blog pithy entires, blog readers will be joyful!

"The teakettle is "tweeting you." (Family Circus,)

Was this one pithy enough? It took me about as long to type this as it did for my cuppa to steep.

WORDS

8/29/11 What does one do when there is a “break in the conversation?” When the silence seems deafening? I, for one, too often take it upon myself to fill that void with words---probably more often than not, words classified in the inane category rather than profound.

Flavia de Luce, the 11 yr. old heroine in The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag, (A. Bradley) states “silence is the best primer for a conversational pump.” For me, that rings true. Sometimes I talk just to fill in an uncomfortable silence. But God….has been teaching me that words, for the sake of words/talking is not always a good thing and the conversation that ensues can be utterly worthless. God’s word reinforces that.

There are man’s words. Peverse. (Proverbs 2:2) Flattering and seductive. (Proverbs 2:16) Grievous. (Proverbs 15:1) Gossiping. (Proverbs 26:22) Hasty . (Proverbs 29:20) The outcome of these often impulsive words can damage relationships with both mankind and God.

Reflect on fitting words, (Prov. 25:11) gracious words, (Prov. 16:1) pleasant words, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones, (Prov. 16:24) words of wisdom---few words. (Prov. 17:27)

When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise. (Prov. 10:19)

The more the words, the less the meaning, and how does that profit anyone? (Ecclesiastes 6:11)

Wait for His words. Words given by Him. That’s scriptural. (Psalm 119:47)

The words of wise men are like goads, and masters of these collections are like well-driven nails; they are given by one Shepherd. (Ecclesiastes 12:11)