The Play of Words

Looks like people are taking this social distancing suggestion seriously, thank goodness.  From my front porch I see people walking alone, with a doggie, or in appropriately distanced groups.  Creative connections spill out of homes – people sharing music from backyard decks, curbside happy hours, and…here’s my favorite…a tiny northside alley neighborhood gathers each night at 8:00 to howl.  Primitive, perhaps, but the cacophony of pitches, styles and tempos make for a fun two minutes of alternative tunes.

If you’re more the shelter-in-place type, staying close to the TV and your stack of books, you still need to bust out and shake your world from time to time.  Mental gymnastics might be just right for you.

I have long been a fan of Richard Lederer,

 Linguistics Ph.D, and author of several erudite books on the history of the English language, along with playful volumes on the more curious side of words and how we use them. In The Play of Words, he gives us a plethora of word games to keep us unbored for the duration of our isolation.

The more daring among us will pick up a pencil or (horrors!) a pen, and write directly on the pages.  Lederer’s’ first order of business is the metaphor, direct comparisons aiding in concretizing abstract concepts.  The games get harder as you go. 

Try this medium hard one for example:

 Using following definitions, identify each common word or expression that contains the word heart:

1.  to take seriously

2.  please be merciful

3. beloved person

4. be reassured

5. to desire earnestly

6. to be frightened

7.  uninvolved emotionally

8.  discouraged

9. incomplete, as in an effort

10. substantial, as in a meal

 

There are twenty-five more, but you get the drift.  There are fifty games in all, each with a clear introduction giving context to the puzzles.  What?  You don’t have this book ready to grab off your shelf.  No problem.  Go to verbivore.com. 

There are twenty five more, but you get the drift.  What????? You all don't have a copy of this book ready for the grabbing off your bookshelf?  Never fear.  You can hop on to Lederer's website verbivore.com. Clicking on the “Language Links” tab will give you an endless supply of blogs, articles, quirky language facts, and games.  Give it a try. 

 Keep checking our Face Book page where I plan to post some word quizzles in the next weeks…offering a fabulous prize once I figure out how it’s all going to work.  Well look at that! I have just provided myself with a meaningful project for the next day? Week?  We’ll see.  

Stay well. Smile.  Sing. Dance. Or as Alan Ginsberg would suggest Howl.

Thanks for stopping by.