Wanted: Connoisseurs

[coberst]

Wanted: Connoisseurs

Connoisseur—one who understands the details, technique, or principles of an art and is competent to act as a critical judge—one who enjoys with discrimination and appreciation of subtleties.

When speaking of connoisseurs we generally think of gourmets, food, wine, wealth, gout and diabetics. I want to add something new to your connotations—I want to talk about ‘connoisseurs of words’.

To become a person who enjoys the discrimination and appreciation of the subtleties of words and thus of reality one needs to become a reader of books. Don’t run away—this may be more pleasant and less painful than you think.

To become wise of the world, to become a connoisseur of words, it is advisable to be a card carrying member of a large library. Many small city libraries do not fully qualify but most people are close to a small college that has a relatively large library. Most college libraries have a ‘Friends of the Library’ card that is available to any state citizen for a small yearly fee of like $25.

Becoming a card carrying member of the ‘connoisseur of words’ club is easy, delightful, inexpensive, and profoundly interesting; and occasionally, as Carl Sagan said, “understanding is a kind of ecstasy.

There are other ways to discover the nature of reality beyond the superficial but reading books is one of the easiest and best, in my judgment. One cannot comprehend the depths of reality without comprehending the words that communicate that depth and one cannot comprehend the words without reading books of quality. Pulp fiction does not qualify as being books of quality.

[Rapunzel]

Coberst - you forgot to say that you also need a dictionary and you need to USE it! So many people (not FGers of course!) seem to read a 'big' word and either read on and miss it out or think they know what it means, when they don't.

So many 'big' words actually have very simple meanings and 'big' words are also a lot of fun to use. I used to read a lot of Piers Anthony novels and a favourite word of his is 'ameliorate', which means to improve or make better. This is a phrase we all use, so next time you want to say 'let's change this situation and make it work better' say 'let's ameliorate this situation' instead! People will look at you in wide-eyed amazement and think what a clever clogs you are! :wah:

I used to write and produce a school magazine for my son's primary school. It had jokes and competitions and kid's birthdays, etc in it. It also had a recipe corner. One day I included a recipe which I called: Peter Pan's Pernicious Pancakes. I thought pernicious meant special, but when I looked it up I found it actually meant poisonous! :wah: I left it in anyway and no one picked me up on it! (Bunch of thicko's! hehehe (kidding!)) Seriously though, I thought it was a great joke and no one realised! *chuckles*

Being a 'connoisseur of words’ gives you a deeper understanding and enjoyment of your reading material. Its also quite a lazy way of looking good, because one 'big' word will replace a whole bunch of little words AND it sounds better AND it makes you sound smart. So now you know I'm a total thicko who masticates her food and snorts it out through her proboscis! :p :wah:

[coberst]

Rapunzel



You are right on the mark. But if we keep reminding people of the need to comprehend words to comprehend the world and that comprehending words can only come from reading books then we will make for happier and more enlightened people.

[daBunnyWendy7]

I LOVE words! I read the unabridged dictionary even as a sm child.I relly love Old d's.Used to collect the.My abusive exhusband threw them out w everything I owned.I read the Encycopaedia Brittanica very young,too.I reall enjoy the roots of words.It's so interesting to learn the deeper meanings of things.Beauty and surprises everywhere