Except for expletives, I don’t think I’ve ever met a word I didn’t like. I love words! To say that I’m a word person is an understatement. Obviously one of the attributes I enjoy most about words is that they are vehicles of expression as well as communication. In case you might take issue with me, try and keep anger out of your tone when you are really angry. You can’t! And this goes for all the other word-emotions out there: love, joy, happiness, miffed, etc. The relationship between words and tone are inseparable.
The only real problem with words is that we all specially define them and then somehow expect others to automatically understand without providing our definition. We can all agree/disagree when we’re on the same page but never assume everyone is on the same page. Quite honestly it isn’t important to agree with the definition, but it will explain what is being said because we all use words assuming the other person will know and understand what we’re saying (even when we don’t). Simple example: How many times have you witnessed a conversation and realized that the two people involved were saying the same thing but using different words?! The opposite is also true – seemingly to be saying the same thing but it’s obvious that they are meaning two entirely different things.
When it comes to communication – never assume. Find out what the other person is actually saying. In a very real way, you are holding the other person as well as yourself to an accountability of what is being said – no excuse of I thought you meant… or of misunderstanding the message. It’s probably the reason that I’m always saying… define your words. At that point neither the person defining or you can misunderstand what is meant.
…but, what do you think? what do you believe?
