Some words are dumb.
They don’t mean what they sound like.
Like “spendthrift.”
Spendthrift is a dumb word if you ask me.
The definition is this: (n) a person who spends money in an extravagant, irresponsible way.
Spend. Thrift.
Okay. When someone is “thrifty,” we all know it means that they use their money and other resources carefully and not wastefully. And when you go to a Thrift Store, you are likely to find items at a discounted price.
So. How is it that a “spendthrift” would be extravagant and wasteful?
It doesn’t make sense to me.
Bolt is another word that is sort of this way.
If you are mechanically inclined, you understand that a bolt is used to hold something in place.
But. If a guy robs a bank, he is likely to bolt from the scene. It doesn’t mean that he stays in place. No. Just the opposite. He gets the heck out of Dodge.
Another one I don’t like is when a big boss somewhere decides to garnish someone’s wages. That means they take away their wages, their money. Gone. Vamoose. But. When I go to a cookout and pull my nice hamburger off the grill, I walk over to the picnic table and garnish my burger with pickles and mayonnaise. I don’t take those things away from my hamburger. I give them TO my hamburger.
Dumb words. What about “left?”
Timmy has a chicken. The chicken laid a dozen eggs. Now Timmy has a dozen eggs. Well. Harriet is hungry, so she takes three of Timmy’s eggs. How many does he have left? How many eggs remain in Timmy’s basket? How many of those eggs stayed right there with Tim? He has nine eggs left.
But where did Harriet go? Oh. She left to go fry her eggs. She is no longer here. She did not remain with Timmy. She left. One “left” stays. The other “left” goes.
Arrrggggh.
We all need to communicate. It is how we interact with one another. Yet, sometimes, this can be a difficult task. We’ve all been in situations where we’ve said the wrong thing, or opened our mouths at the wrong time. It is no wonder.
I mean, with words like these rolling around, how is anyone ever going to know what we are talking about?
Heck. I’m not even sure what I’m talking about at this point.
When I first heard the word “spendthrift,” I thought I was one.
Now, I suppose I’m not.
Before I find anything else out about me, I think I’m going to bolt on outa’ here.
Or. Am I?
I just left.
“”””””””””””””
Our language is the reflection of ourselves. A language is an exact reflection of the character and growth of its speakers.
— Cesar Chavez
“”””””””””””””
Coffee is a language in itself.
— Jackie Chan
“”””””””””””””
A warm smile is the universal language of kindness.
— William Arthur Ward
“”””””””””””””
Am I thrifty? Who knows in English?
