What a Word! Part 4: Aggressive

Continuing with the theme of word meaning depends on context, I recall two people in one of my classes, Bob and Eve, getting aggressive over the use of an aggressive tone. Bob said that as a salesperson he never wants to use an aggressive tone, as it would put off his clients. Eve disagreed, saying that as a manager facing multiple deadlines, she needs to write with an aggressive tone at times.  

Seeing the argument at an impasse, I said, "Let's look up aggressive. Maybe you're both right." Using Dictionary.com, I read the first definition: "characterized by or tending toward unprovoked offenses, attacks, invasions, or the like; militantly forward or menacing." So Bob was indisputably correct. Then I read the second definition: "Making an all-out effort to win or succeed; competitive." Now Eve was undeniably on target. 

Be careful when framing the context for using aggressive, as you would not want an aggressive response.

What a Word! Part 3: Lack

The word lack poses problems similar to shall/should. What we mean by lack depends on the context. 

We jokingly may say that someone is lacking social skills because he wipes the food from his mouth onto his shirtsleeve. Here we mean he is deficient in but not devoid of social skills, because if he had no social skills he would be eating shirtless at the dining table. But at least he knew that he had to be dressed to eat with mixed company, so he has some social skills, if not many, and lack means not enough.

When we tell a child that humans lack gills so they can't breathe without assistance underwater like fish do, we mean we have zero gills. In this case lack means not at all.

Let's look at a business example. A supervisor of six operators might email her manager, "I'm lacking staff this morning." The manager would not know whether she is only one staff down (not enough) or six staff down (not at all). The supervisor would do better to write, "I am down two staff."

Finally let's look at the case of receiving a bounced $100 check. The bank might say, "The account lacks funds." In this situation, the check recipient does not if the account has $0.00 or $99.99 because she still gets nothing. The writer of the check would say he had insufficient funds, but the receiver of the check would say she received no funds.

There's a moral here. Don't use lack unless you are sure that your readers would lack a reason to misinterpret your meaning.   

What a Word! Part 2: Shall / Should

A simple dictionary review of shall and should would keep most writers away from using these words. So many times people have told me that shall means obligated and should means optional. They are right and, unfortunately, so wrong. 

In grammar, should is nothing more than the past tense. To express the past tense of I shall leave soon, I would say I told her I should leave soon. So no difference, right?

After mere grammar, things get complicated. In legal documents shall does mean obligated, as in The contractor shall complete the job by August 31. After law, the differences between shall and should depend on context. You might say, I shall go to the beach today, meaning you plan to go, but are not obligated to go, to the beach. On the other hand, the spiritual We Shall Overcome is undoubtedly an imperative. 

Now let's look at should. If I say as your subordinate, We should start the job now, I am actually asking for your permission, so no obligation to you there. But if you, again as my manager, said the same sentence, I am taking your meaning as a must.

Better to make your meaning precise by using a word like must when you mean obligation, and may, might, or can when you mean possibility. 

What a Word! Part 1: Torpid

Since the name of this blog is WORDS ON THE LINE and I've already written plenty about sentences here over the past 16 years, I thought it was time to write about words. Here is the first sentence in a June 11, 2021 Reuters article "Wall Street Ekes Out Gains to Close a Languid Week" by Stephen Culp: 

U.S. stocks closed modestly higher at the end of a torpid week marked with few market-moving catalysts and persistent concerns over whether current inflation spikes could linger and cause the U.S. Federal Reserve to tighten its dovish policy sooner than expected.

The title uses languid and the first sentence torpid instead of the more familiar lethargic, slow-moving, sluggish, or stagnant. Mr. Culp had other choices as well. While plain language advocates may prefer a commonly used word, we must remember that plain language also means reader-appropriate language. The audience of stock market articles tends to be highly educated and well-read, so the writer selected wisely, not to mention his choice of catalysts, a crossover word from chemistry to popular culture, and dovish, whose contextual roots are in politics. Here is a case of the writer trusting his audience's frames of reference.

Writing for a Living

If you write every day and read every day, then you can consider yourself a writer. If you document your reading, viewing, and listening experiences, then you can consider yourself an active writer. If you extract from those experiences ideas for your next essay, story, play, or poem, then you can consider yourself a creative writer. If you receive on average a dozen rejections a week from publishers and simply file them away just as you would your far fewer acceptances, then you can consider yourself a dedicated, no-nonsense, self-possessed writer.

Writer Jeff Goins has something useful to say about the writing life in his highly recommended blog post "Everything I've Learned from 6 Years of Writing for a Living." It's a worthwhile read if you are considering a writing life, writing what you believe to be your magnum opus, or receiving countless no thank-yous for your submissions. 

On Dealing with Death, Part 2

John Donne reflected much on death. In the last post, I referenced his oft-quoted verse on triumphing over death. In the brief prose excerpt below, Donne keenly observes that while one death affects each individual, it also brings an entire community together. Again notice the well-known book titles of Thomas Merton (No Man Is an Island) and Ernest Hemingway (For Whom the Bell Tolls), bows to Donne's literary genius. I dedicate this post to Arlene O'Leary, social worker and educator extraordinaire, who passed away late last year.

From Devotions upon Emergent Occasions, XVII

By John Donne (1572-1631)

All mankind is of one author, and is one volume; when one man dies, one chapter is not torn out of the book, but translated into a better language; and every chapter must be so translated … As therefore the bell that rings to a sermon, calls not upon the preacher only, but upon the congregation to come: so this bell calls us all: but how much more me, who am brought so near the door by this sickness. … No man is an island, entire of itself … any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee.

On Dealing with Death, Part 1

Whenever a loved one dies, as several in my life have in this year alone, I turn to the comforting reflections of English poet John Donne. Below is one of his most quoted poems. If you have not heard of or forgotten Donne, you'll likely recognize some of his lines. I dedicate this post to the memory of John Pavone, educator, human services professional, educator, musician, chef, husband, friend, and much more, who passed away yesterday. 

Holy Sonnet X 
By John Donne (1572 - 1631)

Death, be not proud, though some have called thee 
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so; 
For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow, 
Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me. 

From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be, 

Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow, 

And soonest our best men with thee do go, 

Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery. 

Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men, 

And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell; 

And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well 

And better than thy stroke; why swell’st thou then? 

One short sleep past, we wake eternally, 

And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.