WORD OF THE WEEK: Salubrious

Summary: Do you like word games and building your vocabulary? Read today's post to do a little of both. It's good for your (mental) health ...

In a fit of momentary boredom while trying to decide on this week's WOW (Word of the Week), I played a word game on Merriam-Webster.com. Okay, it's not so much a game as it is a quiz—but to word nerds like me, word quizzes are lots of fun! ... Just more so when you're 'winning.' And, yes, by winning I mean getting all the answers right.

I was not doing so well, myself. The 10-second timer at M-W.com really threw me off. I'm much better on FreeRice.com, where timing isn't everything, but knowing the right word meaning is. (And correct answers help feed the hungry, too.) Despite my struggling to click on the correct definitions to words I already knew (seriously), I was somewhat strangely relieved when I received the visible buzzer banner for a word I didn't know: salubrious.

Salubrious (Suh - LOO - BREE - uss) – (adj.) healthful; promoting health and well-being. First used in the mid-16th century, this word comes from the Latin salubris, which shares the same definition. It's also related to another Latin word, salvus, meaning safe. Its opposite is, not surprisingly, insalubrious. For example: Smoking is a rather insalubrious way to deal with stress.

So, now we both know another new word. Don't forget to click on the pronunciation link above to hear just how to say it.

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2011

WORD OF THE WEEK: Pastiche

Summary: I've always been a little fuzzy on the word pastiche. Is it a food? An art form? A style of building designs? ... Or is it possibly all of the above and then some?

As you've surely learned by now, I often use this blog to teach myself new words. It's one of the perks of being the blogger who makes those decisions—such as, "What will be the WOW, or Word of the Week, this time?" (And "Do I still blog on Memorial Day if I'm taking the rest of the day off of work?" To that one, I decided this year the answer would be, "Nah, that's okay.")

So today, there's a word I'm having a hard time using correctly. And that word is pastiche. Let's learn a little bit about it together:

Pastiche (pass - TEESH) - (n.) a literary, artistic, musical or even architectural composition that either imitates a previous style or is made up of selections from different works.

Synonyms for the latter definition include potpourri and hodgepodge. But when it comes to the first definition, that's where I draw a blank. It doesn't help that the word, a French word (for "medley of different works") derived from Italian, sounds like some sort of food to me—like an even more delicious pistachio. Its sound reminds me of a dessert. And my instincts aren't that far off: It turns out the Italian word, pasticcio, also means "pastry cake" and is linked to the word pasta. (Mmm, pastry cake ...)

What connects so many different ideas—pasta, cake, artistic medleys? Etymology can answer that question, too. The original Latin word pasticium means "composed of paste," or "pasted together." Like dough (in both cake and pasta), a pastiche of artistic styles is often kneaded with love to rise high in the hearts of intended admirers.

If you love pastries, words and art blends, join me in homage to all at my friend Jama Finney's deliciously artistic web store, CakeZen. It's a veritable pastiche of pastry and party styles!

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2011

WORD OF THE WEEK: Epaulet

Summary: Whether you've fought for freedom or just like military chic, you may have wondered why so many of your clothes have these little attachments on the shoulders .... Today's post has links to answers—and a lesson on just what to call those doo-hickeys and thing-a-ma-bobs.

You know those cool shoulder straps that look so good on military clothes? Whether it's fashion or function, what in the heck do you call them? The answer is epaulets. But can you pronounce that word? If you're like me, then the answer is no. So, click the pronunciation link below to learn!

(Note: Every week, I include a link like this to the WOW, or Word of the Week. The code that follows the link and the dash—and is also always listed in parentheses—stands for adjective, verb or in this case, noun.)

Epaulet (EP - uh - LET) - (n.) something that ornaments or protects the shoulder, often as a fringed pad or a loop that's buttoned or sewn.

The word is French, also spelled epaulette, a diminutive version of the word epaulé for shoulder. It was brought into English in the very late 1700s and is actually related to the word spatula, which once simply defined a flat piece of wood. (Originally, most militaries' shoulder-protecting epaulets were often made of wood.) Because of this relationship, epaulet is a many-generational descendant of the Greek word spathe, meaning a broad, flat sword. What appropriate battle roots!

Want to learn more about the actual item, itself, than just the word history? Check out these lengths for images (showing, among other things, that epaulets have migrated off the shoulders in contemporary civilian fashion) and multi-national military uniform history:

Google images
Wiki history

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2011

WORD OF THE WEEK: Ignominious

Summary: A word I really didn't want to write about, I reluctantly share its meaning with you now ...

Recently, my husband was reading the newspaper when he looked up and asked me, "How do you pronounce this word?" He then pointed to—:

Ignominious (IG - no - MIN - ee - us) - (adj.) dishonorable, despicable, humiliating or degrading. First used in the early 15th century, the word hails from the Latin ignominia, meaning the loss of a good name. A fitting word for the article in that day's news, I find that I just can't bring myself to link to the story, not wanting to add to the shock value. However, I don't mind teaching you the word.

Here's hoping we rarely have the opportunity to discuss ignomy (which can also be called ignominy).

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2011

WORD OF THE WEEK: Chivy

Summary: Chasing down some clues to my break time crossword puzzle today, I came across a word I'd never heard before—chivy, with both its spellings and meanings.

Today was like Christmas in ... April (though I've never heard of such a thing 'til now). Taking a little break in the early evening, I worked a crossword puzzle in the big book of New York Times crossword puzzles that my husband got me last year as a stocking stuffer. It was a challenge! And, of course, I learned a new word:

Chivy (CHIH - vee) - (v.) Alternatively spelled with two Vs, chivvy has two meanings, as well, no matter how you spell it. Most commonly, it means to tease or annoy with persistent, petty attacks—as in, "The guys at the work site continued to chivy and chide each other all day long as a way to pass the time." In its secondary meaning, it means to move or obtain by small maneuvers. Merriam-Webster.com uses this example: "Chivy an olive out of the bottle."

The two definitions have their roots in a common theme. Harassment, or chasing, both come from the word chevy, likely the word that chivy (or chivvy) derived from as early as the 1830s in American English.

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

We Buy Pretty or Ugly ... Words

Summary: In the interest of adding to our vocabularies—and simply romping through the fields of wordom—today's entry includes several links and lists of all kinds of words. You be the judge to how they sound to your ears.

Kim the Wonder Assistant sent me the best message this week. Here's the line it ended with—complete with individual links to thesaurus entries:

"Have a great and fruitful ... or put in other words ... advantageous, beneficial, constructive, dynamic, effective, energetic, fecund, fertile, gainful, generative, gratifying, inventive, plentiful,
producing, profitable, prolific, rewarding, rich, teeming, useful, valuable, vigorous, worthwhile day!"

Isn't she just fun? (Or good, happy, amusing, boisterous, convivial, diverting, enjoyable, entertaining, lively, merry, pleasant, witty?) You should know that both of our lists of synonyms come from Dictionary.com's sister site Thesaurus.com. She also sent me a link to a blog post that had piqued her curiosity. It was about certain words being deemed "pretty" and others being deemed "ugly." She thought I could appreciate it, based on some of my recent blog posts. Boy, could I! I have a hunch that you can, too. So, I found a couple of similar posts, myself, and wanted to pass all of them along to you.

100 Beautiful and Ugly Words
Ugly Words, Pretty Words
Pretty Ugly Words


© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

WORD OF THE WEEK: Eclectic

Summary: What's in a word? Well, in this one, a lot—starting foremost, in my opinion, with its beauty.

Here's a word I've had on the brain for a few days: eclectic. It's just so pretty (to me, anyway).

What does it mean? Well, it's like a hodge-podge or a potpourri, only not as scattered or scented. ... And if you get that, you're as big a word nerd as I.

Eclectic (EE - KLEK - tik) - (adj.) selecting the best of various doctrines, methods or styles (as in eclectic home décor or an eclectic taste in music); also composed of different sources, or heterogeneous (i.e., an eclectic approach to spirituality). First used in English in the 1600s, the word has a bit of an eclectic background, itself: Its present definition was used in the late 1840s, however before that, it referenced a group of ancient philosophers who selected doctrines from every system. Its etymology developed eclectically, too: It derived most recently from the beautiful French word eclectique; before that, from the Greek eklektikos (literally "picking out"); and before that from the ancient Greek eklegein, meaning to gather or choose in a lecture.

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

WORD OF THE WEEK: Agrestic

Summary: What's your ideal car? What's your ideal word to describe your ideal car? Get ready for a fun game you, too, can play with your very own in-laws—or any of your friends who share the same nerdy interests as you (and me and my in-laws) ...

You'd be surprised how often words come up in my casual conversations—as subject matter, that is. A couple of weekends ago, for instance, while hanging out with my sisters-in-law (who, I was thrilled to learn, are new fans of the blog), we started talking about various colloquialisms. A little bit later, my brother-in-law, a mechanic who owns his own shop (and for whom cars come up in casual conversation all the time) started a fun game of assigning ideal car types to all of us sitting around the table. But when it came to assigning a car to our 20-year-old nephew, our nephew balked.

"Why is that my ideal car?" He didn't think it suited him.

But my brother-in-law tried to enlighten him: "No, it's sports-like, but country—er, you know, country-like. But sophisticated. ... What's the word?" He looked at me. "There's got to be a word that means both active and country with sophistication."

I ran through my mental list: "Jaunty?"

"No."

"Rustic?"

"Kind of."

"Sporty."

"No. You were closer with rustic, but that doesn't convey the sports part."

"But it's definitely not sporty?"

"No." I whipped out my cell phone and jumped online, heading straight to one of my favorite sites, OneLook.com. After an introduction to this site to everyone at the table (and a little discussion about whether or not reverse dictionaries are technically cheating at crossword puzzles), I ran through the list—and that's when I spotted a word that caught everyone's attention: today's WOW, agrestic.

Agrestic (uh - GRES - tik) - rural, rustic, unpolished or awkward. While it doesn't mean all of these definitions at once, but rather one (the first two words) or the other (the last two), its origins come from the Latin agrest, or fields. It entered English around 1620.

**NOTE: Be sure to click the little sound symbol next to the word if you follow the link above in an effort to hear the pronunciation.**

We never did quite find the exact right word that my brother-in-law was searching for. I settled in on jaunty and used it with relish for the rest of the night—much to my nephew's chagrin. Funny, I don't even remember the car ...

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

WORD OF THE WEEK: Mardy

Summary: Tired of the dark days of February? Don't be so mardy, mate! Let's fight the blues with a little education today about British slang ...

Last week, while lunching with my friend Bob, he said over our salads and sandwiches, "I have a WOW for your blog."

I leaned in with interest, of course—interest that piqued when he explained it was an international word, shared with him by his British love interest. It seems they had their first row (rhymes with WOW). And as part of this little spat (okay, maybe it wasn't so noisy, after all), she said to him exasperatedly, "Don't be so mardy!" He gleaned what he thought she meant from the rest of their conversation—particularly when she told him he was too sensitive. No surprise, this hurt his feelings.

Now I may be partial, but I find Bob's sensitivity refreshing. He's someone I can have deep conversations with. And I value his input and creativity. Our brains work very similarly.

We were both dying to know exactly what mardy means. So, I trundled on over to the Dictionary of Slang (or "slanguistics," as they call it) at the UK website Peevish. And under the Ms, this is what I discovered:

Mardy (pronounced just like we Americans say, "Mardi Gras") - (n.) someone who is easily upset, scared or moans incessantly; someone who whines a lot. (adj.) Behaving like a mardy person.

As for the etymology, it took a little more detective work on my end. But many English speakers across the pond have shared their own thoughts and findings in chat groups, helping me to determine that it likely comes from the Old Englishe word mar, meaning to spoil or waste. A child who throws a tantrum was said to be marred, or marred-y, in the days of yore. Some words stick around, even as the rest of the language they come from changes; it seems marred-y is one of those words, only partly evolving itself into a type of slang that's most commonly used as a North England colloquialism.

Well, Bob ... now you know. (Let's not listen!)

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

WORD OF THE WEEK: Chthonic

Summary: Have you ever misused a word? I have. Do you know how deep do the roots of this week's WOW word go? Here's a test: Does chthonic mean "to the marrow" or does it refer to something even deeper (and darker) than that?

For almost 10 years, one of my favorite words has been chthonic. ... Only today, I learned I have been both mispronouncing and misusing it all this time! It seems these Words of the Week can be WOWing to me, too.

My interpretation of this word (taken from a book I once read about Jungian dream analysis) was something that was bone-deep, or to the core of oneself. However, when I set out to craft this blog post today—and share what I thought I knew with you—I discovered that the actual meaning of chthonic (and its partner chthonian) is really something of or relating to the underworld. Have I been equating the essence of myself with Hellishness all this time!? *gasp!* I shudder (and chuckle) to think what people have believed I thought of myself for the last decade ... that is, if they understood it at all.

But that's what happens when I 'teach' myself new words without looking them up and verifying them. Have you ever seen a word in print and gleaned its meaning from the text? Sometimes this is easy. Other times, it only seems easy, and really we wind up making ourselves look foolish!

Having a sense of humor about it is helpful. So, is being flexible. For instance, have you ever used a word in a sentence, only to have someone correct your pronunciation or usage? If so, how have you reacted? What was the most embarrassing moment you can recall? (And do you also remember the word?)

My guess is the experience taught you the proper usage/pronunciation/spelling/etc. more firmly than a lot of other word-learning experiences. Funny how negative experiences seem to do that, being burned into our brains indelibly. There's something rather chthonic about it, eh?

Chthonic (THO - nik) or chthonian (THO - nee - yan) - Of or relating to the underworld; infernal. Although both versions have their roots directly in the Greek word khthon, or earth, they only entered English about a century and a half ago: chthonian was first recorded in use in 1850, and chthonic, in 1882.

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

WORD OF THE WEEK: Limn

Summary: If you're a fan of this blog—especially on Mondays—you more than likely enjoy learning new words. How would you feel if you saw a word you didn't know as part of a headline in your local paper? And can you even think of a time when this has happened to you? If you live in Baltimore, it may have been recent ...

Last week, while reviewing some promotional material I wrote for my colleague, there was some discussion over a few word choices I'd made. Not surprisingly, some of the decision-makers around the table at our review meeting believed that not all readers would 'get' those words in question. And yet we were unanimous in our desire to use the words.

Some of the people at that meeting thought that it was important to "dumb down" the writing, in order to play to the "lowest common denominator." Most newspapers take this approach, believe it or not, writing to people with an 8th grade education at best. But what happens when a paper stops following that rule? Today's WOW Word of the Week sparked a controversy at the beginning of this month when The Baltimore Sun did just that, running a headline with the word limn front and center—literally on the front page and in the center of the title.

According to the article about this on Merriam-Webster.com, letters and messages came pouring in from impassioned readers who were split over their opinions: Many were offended by what they thought was "arrogant and patronizing," but others were thankful for the opportunity to expand their vocabularies.

Limn (LIM) - (v.) This word has three different meanings, all stemming from the root word for illuminate: (1) to draw or paint on a surface, (2) to outline in sharp detail (The Sun's usage), and (3) to describe. Interestingly enough, the modified version limning is pronounced with the "n" sound in the middle.

As I'm sure you can also imagine, my argument at our meeting was for teaching people, instead of assuming or contributing to their ignorance. And ultimately, we came up with a compromise that made everyone happy (hopefully, including the readers): We used the words in question, and we explained their definitions within the text. This week, I encourage you, if you don't know a word, just ask!

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

WEEKLY UPDATE: Readers' Delight

Summary: How did you celebrate yesterday's National Grammar Day? What about World Book Day, also yesterday? (I worked!)

How did you celebrate National Grammar Day and/or World Book Day? (Both were yesterday.) Did you read? Write? Read a book to a child? Surf online? In my opinion, that last one counts if you actually read or wrote articles of any significant length or merit. Sure, what qualifies as "significant" is debatable—but I'm sure we can all agree that this blog has value. Right?

Personally, I spent my day pretty much the same way I do every week day: Answering client calls, coaching individuals, working online and taking care of domestic duties. Ho-hum, huh?

Think again! What I do every day is in perfect alignment with these magnificent holidays. My clients have questions for me like, "What kinds of questions should I be prepared for in my upcoming job interview?" and "How do I start an appropriate online dialogue with my colleagues?" We're talking language questions here. And you'd better believe I emphasize good grammar! Of course, reading is a part of my every day—even if the bulk of it is frequently done online. There are a number of other really wonderful blogs (see the blogs I follow, listed to the left on my blog's home page) that teach so much about grammar and word usage. Reading them makes you a better reader!

If you celebrated obliviously, it still counts: How did words play a part in your day?

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

WORD OF THE WEEK: Assume vs. Presume

Summary: Some words are so close in spelling and meaning that it's hard to differentiate when to use which. Today's Word of the Week example teaches you how to distinguish between assume and presume properly.

I assume you know the subtle difference between the two words assume and presume. So, don't presume I'm going to tell you that difference in today's Word of the Week post. ... Oh, okay. Just this once ....

If you figured out that one takes the basis of (probable) facts into consideration, while the other is based on blind guesswork, you're right! But which is which?

Here are their definitions and etymologies:

Assume (Eh - SOOM) - (verb) To suppose; to take for granted as true; also to take on or receive, as in to assume another's debts; to feign or pretend, as in to assume an air of confidence. Assume comes from two Latin words, ad and sumere, as in to consume. It entered the Middle English language at some point in the 15th century.

Presume (preh - ZOOM) - (verb) To take for granted or imply; to expect or assume with confidence; also to go beyond what is right or proper. It comes from the Anglo-French word presumer, which is derived from the Latin words prae and sumere, meaning to take. Presume entered into English in the 14th century.

Yes, the definitions are incredibly similar. But it's presume that supposes on some basis of fact or logic—even if that logic is distorted or just plain wrong. You'd be right to presume that I'll be teaching you more vocabulary concepts every Monday in these blog posts. But if you presume the posts will compare and contrast words regularly, I'll be sorry to disappoint you. And if you assume I'll teach words alphabetically from this point forward, you're just going to make an a-s-s out of u and me. (I presumed you were waiting for that one!)

Want more tips on understanding language differences or special word usages? A great source is AskOxford.com.

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

TRULY SPEAKING: Self-Talk

Summary: Self-talk isn't something everyone is familiar with—but it is something everyone does. If you have a tendency to tune out your emotions, you can benefit from becoming more self-aware. You and I will explore ways to do this over the coming weeks.

Do you talk to yourself? I do! And you do, too—whether you realize it or not.

The fact is, everyone 'talks' to himself or herself inside, even if it's not structured in complete sentences. The sentiment, the way we feel about ourselves, is readily apparent to others even more so than it is to you or me: The compassion we have (or don't have) for ourselves is often blatantly obvious in our actions, and especially in the way we treat others.

Take computer hackers, for example. There are all kinds of hackers out there. Some are employed by top computer companies and even the government, specifically to locate holes in security systems. Let's call them "the good guys." But my guess is the hackers who invented the elite (leet) language we learned about on Monday had little respect for themselves or others—hence their idea of being superior to mere mortals (moi) who don't even know the most basic of code language, HTML! Leetspeak has many times been embedded in code as a type of inside joke on the person or system being 'punked.' That's not a form of respect, for sure.

Over the next couple of weeks, you and I will explore some of the ways we treat others, and how this reflects (or deflects) what we're feeling inside, as well as some tools we can employ to become a little more self-aware. Keep reading!

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

WORD OF THE WEEK: A Decade of Leetspeak?

Summary: Leetspeak gives a whole new meaning to linguistic elitism. If you're unfamiliar with the phrase, you have a lot of learning to do! It's not too late to catch up, so read on ....

Leetspeak (also known as l33t5p34k by its own 'alphabet') isn't new. It's been around in various forms since the 1980s, but has grown in popularity progressively to today, when it's proliferated language—and easily, too, since so much of our conversation is done electronically now. It's pronounced just like it looks: (LEET - speek). Contemporary online and urban dictionaries include the term and its special language as common practice.

If you're under 25, you probably already know the definition of leetspeak. But if you're not under 25, you may be surprised to learn that you already know and use leet (its shorthand name) relatively regularly.

Here's a brief list of leet lingo and definitions to help you out:

l8tr – goodbye (as in, "see you later")
n00b – newbie, someone who's inexperienced or new to the activity at hand
pwn – to own, to rule or to best another
w00t – hooray

Its etymology comes from the world of hackers, and it's an abbreviation for elite—as in the select few who understand the code. As you've likely determined, it often combines alpha and numeric keys to create a type of sub-language.

In addition to text messaging, this language is still used commonly in online gaming communities, where it can be quite advanced, utilizing entire sentence strings that look so similar to code that I couldn't successfully cut and paste them here to show you examples: They tricked my blog-posting program into thinking I was inserting unrecognizable HTML commands!

Unfortunately, I don't have a link for a leetspeak dictionary to share with you, because I couldn't find any that didn't include offensive language. However, I do have an interesting article link from well-known word-lover Mark Peters (my fellow blogger on Blogspot's Wordlustitude), titled "The Decade in Words" to really get you thinking this week.

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2010

TRULY SPEAKING: Pop a Batch of Popcorn Words

Summary: My 5-year old niece is another language lover. She's learning to read via "popcorn words," or Dolch sight words. Here's how you can help the early readers you know and love to love language, too.

Over the weekend, I received a call from my sister's house: "Hey! How are you?" I said merrily into the phone after glancing at the number on the caller I.D. Silence greeted me.

But just before I got worried, I heard a faint directive in the background: "Say hello." I smiled and waited for my 5-year old niece to properly obey her mother.

"Hi, Kiki," she said faintly. (To all my nieces and nephews, I'm "Aunt Kiki.")

Though our conversation started out with shyness (she's just learning how to use phone etiquette like a Big Girl), it quickly became a lot of fun for both of us when we started talking about kindergarten. Language is a love my niece and I share. She was eager to tell me about her school's "libary," as well as to read me the first book she's checked out all by herself. *Melt!* I was gushy with pride.

As she read me her book, carefully sounding out each word she encountered (except for calendar, which she sounded out fine, but mistakenly emphasized the word's second syllable, making it unrecognizable to both herself and to me), she continued to pause at certain spots—"And: That's one of our popcorn words!"—stopping to share this news with proud excitement.

My sister later explained that "popcorn words" are what the kindergarten teacher is calling the Dolch sight words. Collected by Edward William Dolch, PhD., in the late 1930s and published for the teaching community a decade later, the sight words list contains commonly used words that are basic to the English language—words that "pop up" regularly in reading at all levels and that are often learned by sight by early readers (as opposed to the traditional method of sounding them out). Such words as a, I, in, is, me, my, go, look, and even multi-syllabic words like yellow and little are included in this list of over 200 words.

If you know an early reader whose literary vocabulary you'd like to expand, check out the sight words list for yourself. And check out Miss Renée's Kindergarten Pad for some fun ways to pop up learning with popcorn words in your home or classroom.

© KiKi Productions, Inc. 2009

The Evolution of Etymology: How Human Language Changes & Grows

We’ve all heard the universal lament: Cell phones and e-mail accounts are downgrading language. Abbreviations and emoticons are blamed for dropping literacy rates and for lingual confusion virtually all over the world, as teens and tweens spend, according to one British study, about 31 hours per week online texting, surfing, and chatting—versus 3 hours each week studying via the internet. Contrary to popular belief, however, the reverse may be the real truth: Newsweek Magazine reported in an article last August that “texting may give literacy a boost,” because exposure to language equals exposure to language—period.

The fact is, language—no matter which you speak or in what part of the world—changes. Pick up any book written in any decade of the 20th Century, fiction or non-fiction, and you’re sure to find yourself amused at some point by the notable differences in conversational tones. The English language, spoken by more than 20 percent of the world, has morphed from Middle English and “Olde Englishe” (as it was then written), and beyond that, from the Romance languages of Latin and Greek. Etymologically, English has been internationally influenced at each turn as the world population shifts, grows, and eternally relocates.

It should come as no surprise then that language continues to transform as the various countries of the world meet up online. Merriam-Webster’s “open dictionary” takes a firm hold on the helm of this exploration, inviting internet users to add their own words (or “slanguage” as one anonymous contributor put it) to an ever-growing list.

Wikipedia, the open source e-encyclopedia, also has its own open content dictionary, or Wiktionary. It integrates multiple languages into one dictionary source for any speaker-user around the globe.

It’s also not unexpected to note the several books and e-books on the subject of linguistic adaptation. The hand-held reading device Amazon Kindle, having released over 265,000 titles to date—currently priced at around $10—has at least 57, alone, about the ever-changing English language.

What’s your personal contribution to the word world? If you consciously create, unconsciously co-create, or even simply help proliferate the language you speak, hear, read, write, type or text (imagine: “text” is now a verb!), you are a part of the ever-evolving human existence. Welcome to growth! And talk about progressive!

(c) KiKi Productions, Inc. 2009