Words, words, words

Maybe you've seen that recent clip of Stephen Fry when he goes on a  spree, asking for us to use words that are juicy and jolly, extravagant and extraordinary, in all the glory of English. It's worth finding if you can, especially as this is contrary to what the prose trend has been for at least twenty (more like thirty??) years now i.e. sparse prose, immediate prose has been in fashion. Maybe this started with Ernest Hemingway, but I don't know. Personally, I tend to write more lushly and then have to trim back.

But I was thinking, there are so many subtleties. For instance, yesterday I watched the last act of 'The Marriage of Figaro', streamed live from the Royal Opera House Covent Garden. What if we simply called Mozart's opera 'Figaro's Marriage'? It wouldn't have quite the same cachet, would it? This, Marriage of Figaro, apart from the direct translation 'Le Nozze di Figaro' just has more of a ring to it, more of a rhythm. And that's what I like! How about you?

Well hello there!!!

I finally figured out how to get back into my Blogger account after someone who shall be nameless and blameless, logged me out. Now my plan is to pick it up again to share some random thoughts.

It seems I'm finally and fully back into my writing mojo. After the death of my husband my muse was somewhat elusive, but spring has sprung, snow is melting, sap is rising. So here I am.... back!!

Stay tuned (as they say).

Words and expressions

I'm always intrigued by new expressions and words that come into the English language... and thus to our consciousness.

So how about 'done and dusted'? I have the impression that this started in the UK. It's certainly spreading. But surely they've got that the wrong way around? My mother always said the dusting had to happen first, and then the vacumming or sweeping or whatever. Don't you think?

Now the other item that's on my mind is the word 'woke'. First seen on a facebook post via a member of the (much) younger generation, I still am not sure what it means. Obviously, it's gaining some agency (as they say... another spreading expression!) because I saw on The Guardian website that the recent pop concert weekend at Glastonbury has been deemed 'the most woke' ever!! It's definitely a compliment of some kind.

And while we're in the realm of Glastonbury, I'm remembering its connection with King Arthur and the stories of the Grail. Clearly it's a place with special energies, but how is all that modern music affecting them?

I shall continue to ponder.