There is power in language, in the command of a broad vocabulary consisting of many words. Poets use words to describe a great and beautiful world, to enchant us and enlighten us. Scientists fiddle out the minutest of miracles in the functioning of the world, and pass them on by using precise and clear language that transmits information from one to another. So it is only fitting that such a thing as Dictionary Day would exist to encourage us to challenge our vocabulary, to broaden it and perhaps take an opportunity to expand our language to the full scope of the tongue’s diversity. There are a lot of words out there
I remember at secondary school they were clearing out old storage rooms and throwing away some old dictionaries (sacrilege). Our English teacher offered them to us and I took one. I loved looking through it as there were so many things that hadn’t yet been invented so the Words weren’t there.
The Atkinsons were good friends of my parents, as were a family by the name of Blackadder. I wonder where Rowan got the inspiration for the name!
