Ara Ara’s Mind

Language is all we have, and still the English language fails. More focused on the complexity of words than what they actually mean. Or what they could mean.

Thinking of this, I am reminded of the book “Frindle” by Andrew Clements.

Our main character Nick makes up a new word for “pen” just to try and get his English teacher to liven up. The word quickly gains popularity and spins far out of, the 5th grader, Nick;s control. I was given this book to read over the summer in 4th grade. I never finished it. I probably got 30 pages in before I just put it down.

The 2010’s were unstoppable. There seemed to be a new word for everything. Selfie, bae, binge-watch. I wonder, who said these words first? How long was it locally known until it spread everywhere? If we had not been given Instagram, Vine, or Musically would someone have even thought up these words? I cannot answer any of these questions without a time machine, but I can see how these cute, funny words lead us down a road of irony that we still struggle to recover from today.

Words are made by accident, it seems. Through jokes and moments of connection. Which leads me to wonder if a word can be made in earnest? If one can be crafted to fill a hole the English language left unfilled? When attention is focused on making English less limiting, will the words created have the same weight as ones made randomly for fun?

“Handrogiful” is a word I created to compliment my partner. Handsome not beautiful felt right. Androgynous is how I would describe an outfit, not a person. I wanted him to know he looked gorgeous in all ways. Every way my eyes choose to see him were precious to me. So, I made “handrogiful”, the H added from handsome, the “androg-” from androgynous, and the suffix “-ful”.

Over the past few months I had been experimenting with creating new words. Most of them are just two words slammed together, like cornearing (corny + endearing). Or words I accidentally combined out speed and excitement, ex: haong (hard + long). Then I remembered that words constructed. Different prefixes, roots, and suffixes come together to make language. This knowledge that I forgot I knew somehow ensured that I added “-ful” to the end of the word I wanted to create. Is creating words instinctual or does my brain just know when to fire the secret things I didn’t know I knew.

I am going to continue to learn about words. Where they come from, how reliant we are on them, and how to create more. I am tired of being limited by words. I want words to explain the exact feeling I have in my chest. I fear they will be stuck there forever if I don’t.