I have always loved words more
than numbers. Yep, numbers are actually kind of cool, but words, for me, have more depth. Numbers are objectively cold. A 1 is a 1.
A 1 can never be a 2. They are
what they are. Words, however, are
subjectively dynamic in its articulation.
A word can have a variety of meanings or usages. Take for example the word “pretty”. Pretty can mean beautiful. It can be used as an adverb, as in “pretty
much” or “pretty good”. In fact, we can
use “pretty” as an adverb in a phrase that is opposite of the meaning of
“pretty” per se. The phrase is “pretty
ugly”.
Words are colorful and
empathic. And among them, here are my
top ten favorite English words…
10.) INTELLIGENCE
Among English words, I found
“intelligence” to have the most subtle but obvious implication of power. We are now in the Information Age. There’s no more important asset than
intelligence. Wars are won by intelligence
(yes, espionage-related intelligence).
In politics and business, the better the intelligence is, the better the
decision making – for earning future yield – will be. Nowadays, information and knowledge are the
cards in the poker game of life. The better
the quality of these means the better cards in your hand, thus better chances
of winning.
9.) VERSATILE
This adjective imply that the
object (usually a person) is well-rounded.
Multi-faceted.
Multi-talented. Flexible. Wide area of knowledge, interests and/or
skills. That means having depth. Which ultimately means the person is fun, interesting,
can fit in well, and not boring. It’s
one of the most valuable descriptions or compliments that one can ever give
somebody.
8.) LOVELY
I consider the word “lovely” as
the highest adjective to describe something or someone that is beautiful, pretty,
or gorgeous. So whenever I use the word,
it means I have given my highest praise on the degree of beauty, appeal, or
pleasantness.
7.) COOL
Cool has been used as slang for
something that is good, or nice, or interesting, or remarkable, or amazing,
etc. And that’s a reason why I like the
word. It can have different intensity of
meaning and ways to handle it. But the
main reason I like the word “cool” is because of its definition as being calm. It portrays an appearance of tranquility and
control, even in midst of excitement or pressure.
6.) IF
I once heard someone speak that
“If” is the biggest word in the world.
Because it means a condition… a stipulation… a requirement… an
assumption. Before an effect or event to
happen, the “if” should happen or be met first.
5.) THUS
I also like its synonyms
“therefore”, “then”, “hence”, and “ergo”.
I like the word (and its synonyms) because it presents a conclusion
after an analysis or evaluation.
4.) GRACE
Grace means a gift that is undeserved
and unearned. It means a love that is
unconditional. Instead of punishment,
reward or blessing is received. As a
Christian, the word “grace” is a sweet sound to the ears. For us Christians, it means Christ dying for
our sins, saving us from eternal death and suffering in Hell, and giving us
eternal life in Heaven instead. Ah, to
know why “grace” is one of my favorite English words, I’ll let John Newton
explain (read the lyrics of the immortal song he had penned, i.e. “Amazing
Grace”) in my behalf. He articulated perfectly how so, er, amazing grace is.
3.) LOGIC
When the word “logic” is
mentioned, it gives a feeling of rationality, sound judgment, and order. The word “logic” came from the Greek word
“logos” which means “sentence” or “reason”.
I love the word “logic” because I love the essence of “logic”. It is the study of the principles of valid
inference and correct reasoning. I
sincerely believe that logic, if wielded properly and when based on true
premises, will lead to the truth. And I
always desire the truth.
2.) AWESOME
People, including me of course,
tend to overuse both “cool” and “awesome” to describe almost anything, but more
so with “awesome”. “Awesome” is greater
than “cool”. If I think of “lovely” as
the highest description for the degree of beauty and such, I think of “awesome”
as the greatest of all positive adjectives.
It is the highest form of adjectives like good, great, glorious,
fascinating, amazing, remarkable, and such.
1.) WHY
“Why” is my most favorite word because
when the “why” is answered, something is made clearer. The “why” is the most complicated to
answer. Usually, in the case of “what”,
“who”, “when”, and “how”, the answers are just exact objective facts. But the “why” requires further deliberation
since the answers are all about motivations, purposes, and reasons. When the “why” is known, there is a deeper
understanding of the whole picture.
No comments:
Post a Comment