I know I’m committed to positive posts and stories but…

Instead of saying: “I bought flowers at the store today”, we most often say, “I got flowers at the store today.” Either way, they smell sweet and brighten a room, but the word got demeans them. They deserve a prettier word for the pleasure they bring. Instead of received or acquired or obtained or purchased, the word got is a shortcut. There are many more pleasant sounds that communicate the very same action.

In place of “I got to have…” how about – I want, I desire, or I’m hot for

Instead of “I got it.”  how about – I understand, I catch your drift, or you’re coming in loud and clear

Then there is the egregious have got which really puts my whities in a twist.

Have/had are other words that I believe are overused in everyday language. “I have made plans” instead of “I made plans”. Often have/has is used as a helper verb when it is not needed. “He has seen the queen” instead of “He saw the queen”. Both mean the same thing but since the queen is dead, would make one question the sighting.

Have/had should be used as main verbs. “I have new shoes” or “I had a good time last night”. I know there are times when the helper verb adds emphasis and seems appropriate such as “He has not told me the secret to his success yet” or “I have been to that movie before”. “I’m lunching at noon” instead of “I’m having lunch at noon” is a little precious but it really sounds better.

English is the global language of commerce, aviation, and technology. It is not an especially melodious language. If you want music to the ears speak French, the language of love. Spanish and Italian have a lilt to them. English is birthed from German and had a Latin nanny.

English is a flexible language given to all sorts of twists with no tonal requirements like Chinese and other East Asian languages, even some Native American languages. The word “ma” in Chinese can mean six different things depending on how it is said.  Our grandson coached me in those sounds when he took Mandarin in kindergarten and first grade. It is a skill I did not master, but it made me aware of the complexity of some languages compared to English.

I studied French for seven years and do not speak it in any sensible way, but I love the sound. It is a sensual language. I am currently brushing up on French with the app Duolingo. Our nephew, who is a native of Spain, is coming for a visit. His English is marginal, my Spanish is non-existent, but he also speaks nearly fluent French. I’m aiming to communicate in that language which is foreign to both of us.  

In English, it is possible to use verbs as nouns and nouns as verbs and still be understood. A writer friend wrote a story in which the protagonist “bathroomed” in the woods and the meaning is clear, even though Mr. Webster does not recognize that word in his book. In English you can plan a table or table a plan.

There are words that sound alike but are spelled differently and have different meanings such as right and write, or tide and tied. There are words that are spelled alike but sound differently and have different meanings such as dove and dove. “The dove dove into the bushes when the hawk circled overhead.” That is a common occurrence in our backyard.

I am an English speaker and English writer, so I try to make my language as understandable and fluid as possible. Those are my minor quarrels with modern English. Being a person who loves words and searches out meaning with words, I am possibly more sensitive to how they resonate. Now, when you read my posts, you will see how many times I use these annoying words, but I try to ferret them out.

I don’t want to belabor this tiny grumble about personal bugaboos, so I have got to go for now.