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Smack Dab and Inextricably in the Middle of Somewhere
Let us ponder for a moment the word inextricably.
Yeah, inextricably—one of those words that is most effective only if used sparingly and at exactly the right moment.
Inextricably.
Born into the world and borne through life as a book nerd, I can’t help now and then using words that make certain people uncomfortable. Down here in the South, when a word like inextricably pops out of my mouth, some folks raise their eyebrows and slowly back away. If I’m really wrapped up in what I’m expounding about, I may not notice this till later. And even if I don’t notice it at all, sometimes the wary listener will make an offhand comment like, “Well, I’m not a big reader, but I guess if I knew what some of those words mean that you’re using, I could figure it out.”
Oops! Didn’t mean to be off-putting. It’s just that nerdiness seems to be inborn, so inborn that I don’t even notice that I’m speaking in tongues to random people, without meaning to.
As a writer, my goal is to communicate clearly and with precision, but now and then inextricably creeps in and becomes a speed-bump to anybody’s understanding of what I’m trying to get across.
So, next time you hear me use one of those multisyllabic words that don’t seem to fit within your comfort zone, just catch my eye, tilt your head slightly, raise your eyebrows and say, “Say what?”
Maybe I’ll take a deep breath, tone it down a little, and get back to regular, clear talk.
After all, I’m not inextricably bound to that word
© Jim Reed 2014 A.D.