Language or Vocabulary?

My daughter thought my recent column about “Languages” should have been called “Vocabulary.”

In junior high reading class, thanks to Ms. Givhan, my children were taught “bonus words.”

The pronunciation was changed at home to “Bones-Words.” On occasion my adult children still shout that when anyone uses vocabulary words that aren’t in everyone’s daily experience.

I believe now they are called “SAT Words.” But whatever the name, the students are still increasing their vocabulary. Thank you, Ms. Givhan!

My mother was always using words that she had to define for us, and we added them to our vocabulary. My brother called them “hundred-dollar words.”

That led me to doing the same for our children.

One of our children called me “mommy-thaurus.” I could help them find another word when they felt the word they used was not exactly what they were trying to express. I also recommended they check the dictionary.

My mother used the word “facetious” in regard to my brother’s behavior. Oddly it wasn’t until recently I learned how to spell the word! I have often used it, as have my children, and my father-in-law used it when he felt his children were being silly.

Then there are words that have several meanings. If you’re not aware of the differences, it’s difficult to use words correctly.

The word “column” has three main meanings, and within those there are examples for other ways the word can be used.

My mother once told me, “Your children are undisciplined.” I was actually hurt. I knew that mother was aware we disciplined our children in the hope of teaching them to behave properly in public, in church, in school, and in the outside world. But what she meant was that they were not “self-disciplined.”

Of course not, they were children, they had to learn to discipline themselves to be able to get along in the world such as children learning to keep their rooms clean and learn that there are consequences when they don’t clean their rooms as well as the benefit of being able to find things in a clean room.

Yes, the column labeled “Languages” did include vocabulary, but it was meant to remind people that there are different languages that we learn when we need them.

For instance, crochet has a different “language” from knitting. Woodworking and metal working have different “languages”.

The dictionary says, language “is the principal method of human communication, consisting of words used in a structured and conventional way and conveyed by speech, writing, or gesture.”

Language is nothing without vocabulary. Just as vocabulary is nothing without language. I could learn the vocabulary of Spanish, but just spouting the words would not be communication.

Vocabulary or Language, when you’re reading anything and come across a word, like “plaudits,” with which you are not familiar, go to a dictionary - book or internet - for the definition.

The dictionary can also help with words that more closely express what you are trying to convey - synonyms.