When I’m writing I put brackets around words I might omit. Those that might later disappear, or fall from the page. Those that add little to meaning, but take up precious ink in the process. Sometimes they prove themselves worthy and get to stay but mostly they fall by the wayside onto unfertile verges. I think it’s true that less is more.
And these days I wonder if I should bracket my spoken word too? Perhaps I should take a vow of silence. Perhaps I’d make more sense if I communicate in broken sign language and obscure charades. Perhaps people would listen more carefully, or take me more seriously.
4 comments:
I like this post, I bracket words when I'm writign too and yes less definitely is more. I know what you mean about wanting to bracket spoken words too. I think more people should talk less, think more about what they do say...
have you read Alison Bechdel's "Fun Home" yet? She has some interesting thoughts / experiences around the issue of the limitations of language...
language is just a tool which often can't express accurately what we feel... and that can sometimes be frustrating
If you want to be taken seriously, learn how to speak like the psychopath in a horror movie.
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