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The President's Letter
Words Are What We Make of Them
A dear college friend of mine had many admirable talents. But, the proper use of the English language wasn’t always high on the list. He had an almost supernatural ability to unintentionally conflate similar adages into hybrid versions that would leave people scratching their heads.
For example, he would say “It’s not rocket surgery” to describe something simple. “That’s the way the cookie bounces” when something was simply based on luck. And, “He couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn if it was staring him in the face” to describe someone’s incompetence.
And then there were entertainers who made a living massacring the English language with an assortment of malapropisms and other language gadgetry. Pianist Victor Borge, actor Carrol O’Connor (Archie Bunker), Moe Howard (Three Stooges), and comedian Norm Crosby are a few that Boomers like me will fondly recall.
But whether it was done intentionally by entertainers or the byproduct of an overly fertile (confused?) mind like my friend’s, they were simply underscoring the vulnerability, flexibility and impact of words in our daily lives.
If you’re passionate about your local library, there’s a fairly high likelihood that you respect both the written and spoken word, as you should. And, that you are angered, saddened or both when others use words to bully or diminish others, as you should.
But, let’s not forget that words can be beautiful tools in the hands of an artist. They can inspire us, exorcise our demons, and put a lot of smiles on our faces when used in the service of humor or good old humanity. And, that’s not rocket surgery.
--Joe David
