Word Junkie

I love words. I truly do. If there are eleven different words to express one particular thing I will carefully choose the one that will impart to others precisely what I mean. I collect words, I file them away for some future conversation when I can grind things to a halt by tossing out a term that no one is familiar with. Or may wish to be. Some words are just fun to say. Anthropomorphise. Osmosis. Masticate. Sophomoric. Oxymoron. The names of diseases are interesting, too. Take Bovine Spongiform Encephelopathy. To most people it's mad cow disease. But I enjoy rattling off the proper name for it. A few weeks ago I learned the term for having a nicely shaped ass. Callipygian. If you have an oversize bottom that consists of too much fatty tissue, then it would be described as steatopygic. But enough about butts. Are you familiar with the practice of anthropophogy? If you take part in this socially unacceptable activity, let's just say you might enjoy the company of Jeffrey Dahmer or Hannibal Lecter as dinner guests. Many people are aggravated into a tizzy over the inconsistancies and peculiarities that run rampant through the English language. But that is expressly what I adore about it. Our language was distilled and stewed together out of bits and pieces of every language of every culture that melted into the pot that is America. English grows and morphs and changes to reflect new technology and social trends and adaptations, and even, gasp!! pop culture! Every new edition of a dictionary is a snapshot of who and what we are at the time it is published. A reflection of us and what we have learned, absorbed, invented, abandoned and embraced. I love words! I couldn't write without them. Or read. Or think. Or swear! I will admit that in addition to being a word junkie I am also a pottymouth. And proud of it. But that is a topic that deserves its very own post.