Words have a history shaped by many contexts
Take your reading and writing to the next level
Landing the right word in a sentence requires understanding much more than just its common meaning.
The way we use language is contextual: a word makes greater sense within the context it is written. But as human beings we tend to limit ourselves to our own world and we may not always consider the contexts of others.
Effective communication begins with understanding others’ contexts, as well as the language they use and how they may understand certain words differently.
Yet to communicate well, we need to not only understand the context, but also the bigger picture of the language we use.
A word may have a common meaning, and that meaning may be coloured by how we use it. However, that same word has an epic history. That word likely began long ago and has travelled via tongue and ear and page, accumulating on its journey of decades, centuries, or millennia all the subtleties of the contexts in which it was used and understood. History has shaped that word to become what it is today, just as we continue to participate in the shaping of language into the future.
Times and trends change, so a word from the past may become out of touch. But provided the fundamental continuity of meaning in a word endures, then that word holds a rich story within it. And this story has layers of meaning which may arise wherever the word is used, depending upon its application within the given context. If we do not know the historical trajectory of a word, we will likely only have a single frame of understanding about its use.
It’s like entering the cinema to watch one minute of a movie, then leaving. You will understand what the actors are saying, but your context is so narrow that you will not grasp the full implications of their words.
Granted, there’s a lot to know in the wide-roaming history of words. But for someone serious about becoming a better writer, it’s a wide-reaching area for advancing your skill. What we do not know in the language we use becomes a source of error, which will bite us sooner or later.
Mastery of language ensures that when you use a word, not only do you use it exactly as you mean it to be used, but it also exactly fits the context. That word may even carry multiple levels of nuance, which can be exercised to add dimension to your writing.
Precise meaning implications in words does not make writing restrictive. To the contrary, it gives you a far greater toolset. It allows fuller creativity in your writing as you have a detailed knowledge of how to use words in both the given context and their wider representation.
One example of limited word knowledge is heard among those who attach the same four-letter swear word to every utterance. Granted you will catch some variety on a good day: sometimes they add the suffix -ing to make an adjective; at other times they make a past-tense regular verb with -ed; or perhaps they even dare the superlative suffix -est. But there’s only so far you can stray past the conventions of language if you want an expression to stick and endure. That four-letter word may well be very expressive, but I diverge.
Reading and writing are extremely useful for personal, professional, and cultural development (see my related article, ‘Mastering language for your professional development’). These skills have many real-world implications. And given most of us read and write every day, some of us very much so, it might be worth taking these skills to the next level.
How might you do this? The best way is to read the great writers; those in your field of expertise, but also those that interest you generally across time and cultures. Find a book that is difficult for you to read, but one that you can see is worth reading because it is relevant to your work, your interests, or to being human itself. Go ahead and challenge yourself to read it. It may be a work-out for your mind in the beginning. But as you progress and once you’ve reached the end, you will be far better equipped in understanding language and its applications, both in relation to the field the book covers and more generally.
When you’ve finished one book, find the next one. Many adults stop learning how to read and write, thinking that’s something they’ve already covered in school. But a wider, deeper, more interesting world awaits those individuals who are open to the potential within great writing.
An articulate person not only has greater scope and granularity of expression; they are also a better listener, and typically a fertile field of applicable knowledge. These capabilities open doors personally, professionally, and culturally; they provide perspective on life and our greater human possibilities.
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