My mother held a Bachelor in Arts from the University of Manitoba. She was an English major  and believed her children should become masters of a large vocabulary (among other things of course).

For her, and by association her children, a large vocabulary represented  a key underpinning for reading, writing, and verbal communication skills.

Of course reading itself  is a good way to build vocabulary.  Since I was ten I have read at least 60 books a year, often more.  As a result of my mothers encouragement I often find, in general discourse with others, I am able to use words they are not familiar with.

Who Cares

Todays post is definitely a bit self effacing, so might not strike broad empathy among my readership. It is however prompted by the fact I received an email the other day with a word I was not familiar with.

The word was antithetical, which means directly opposed or contrasted; mutually incompatible.  For example, “people whose religious beliefs are antithetical to mine”

The really cool thing about the English language is it’s specificity.  I would like to say there is a word for everything (probably a bit of an exageration).

This enhances the ability to use English to create a message with extreme clarity and power.  In the case of the note I received yesterday, once I understood the word, the simplicity and clarity of the statement was obvious.

Thanks Mom

So well I did not appreciate it growing up, I owe my Mom a vote of thanks for forcing long strange words on me day in and day out.  Imagine, instead of looking up the odd word occassionally I could be leaping to my dictionary over and over.