Words are my currency. They can be traded at various rates, gain value according to either social regulation or general allotment and can be exchanged into other types of currency– languages.

Words are, sadly, suffering from a time of inflation. The over saturation of some of English’s finest words, such as exquisite, hate, and love, thoroughly worries me.  I do not, however, wish for this world to turn into a Lowry novel with “precision of language”. Nor do I wish for this land to lapse into an eternal silence, too afraid to use whatever words come to mind. But it might do.

Words are slowly deteriorating. They are losing meaning more rapidly than previously recorded (see the words “literally” and “legitimately”) and pacifier words, such “cool” and “rad”, are falling out of style. Quickly.

As a word-aware person as well as a word-economist, I try my best to limit my “casual” vocabulary as much as possible. For example, I refrain from using superlatives, unless completely required. I have found, in my years of research, that by doing this, people are more take more notice in what I say. This causes every aspect of my voice to have a heavier weight in other minds, giving me more literary power than previously acquired control.

 

This has been an LPSA: Literary Public Service Announcement.