Elsa Crumpley: Language Grows

Opinion: Monday April 18, 2011
Language Grows
SOME THOUGHTS on language, provoked y the April 12 letter, “Use words correctly:”
With worldwide immigration in constant motion, it is no wonder that grammatical use of any language gets lost in distortion and misuse.
But language grows. IT becomes enriched with usages brought by immigrants, cultural growth, a desired twist of meaning, new technologies, and new social needs.
Enrichment also derives in usage of words applied in difference contexts beyond original use, for lack of appropriate words in the new situation.
Thus, inn the sentence, “The election of Barack Obama created an impact felt by all members of the population,” the word “impact” conveys the tremendous significance of the event in the meaningful way as desired without actual physical contact.
In this way, a language grows in words and meanings beyond their original use. Over time, a language becomes enriched far beyond its beginnings. Words gain new powerful meanings. In search and in writing, we learn to express more sensitive thoughts, accurate descriptions, and colorful speech, applying the old words to define new situations extending the original meanings to new usages.
Poetry, literature and music are products representing an everlasting tribute to our creative abilities in the use of language. Let us use our language to promote our most powerful and sensitive thoughts toward the grown of a positive contribution to the development of our species.
Elsa Crumpley
Oakland

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