Spelling and Grammar

I'm here in the Comm Suite at Spring Arbor and I'm copy editing. Well, at least, I was for a while...

It's amazing to me how you can hear people speak through their written works. I'm sure everyone is somewhat familiar with this: you'll pick up a letter from your grandfather to your grandmother, or see a birthday card from your mom, and when you read what is written, you'll hear the inflection of the voice, the subtle pauses between words, the tone in which they speak, the rhythmic rise and fall of speech as it flows on paper...

It seems it a shame to read through an entire flow on paper, but not to enjoy--to correct.

Obviously, for the paper to become a credible source of information, it's important to keep the writing of said paper to a standard that anyone and everyone can read. Still, I plan on getting a copy of this issue once it's printed so I can enjoy it, but the journalist inside me will never let me read in peace. Once an editor, always an editor, I say.

More and more, I am able to appreciate the vast and sometimes subtle differences between the speech of one and the speech of another. The way people pronounce their "R's" or their "W's" or the "th" sound or the "d" sound. It strikes me that language is nothing more than sounds connected a certain way. The result is words. This is probably really obvious to some, but the fact that just now, I've come to appreciate it, it stands to reason that I've also obviously overlooked this tiny detail. Funny how that happens, isn't it?

But as I say, I'm reading through different stories of staff members, and I can hear the voices of those I know, but for those I don't, I make a guess based on how they speak about their subject. Some people (I'm afraid I'm included in this number) generally have a very pompous manner in which they write. Very formal, very clear, etc. Some are more passive, almost as though they've written the story and are inviting your opinion on what they've written.

I'm striving to keep this blog informal, as though speaking to a friend over lunch, instead of writing to friends over cyberspace. I want this blog to be easy to read, and I want you, the reader, to be able to hear my voice when you read. I think the concept of language is such a profound thing, I want everyone to be able to appreciate it for the miracle that it is.

Have a wonderful day!

Rumors and News

So it came to my attention that news (as in newspaper, news media news) starts as rumors.
Huh.
It makes sense, I guess, that "news" isn't written until it is first a rumor that peaks interest. If this is true, it follows that all "news" is just what one person heard from another that somehow made its way down the chain to the editor of the newspaper, who decided it should be further investigated.

The good news is that the rumors aren't the main thing reported (usually). It takes a nosy and slightly cynical reporter to find the nuggets of truth within the stew.

So, I guess that means that "rumors" are heretofore described as being founded in truth, but shrouded in fiction, whereas "news" is described as being founded in truth and bearing witness to that truth. However, when "news" is involved, is it safe to say that the stories tell the Truth? On the finite level of humans, there is an Absolute Truth, and Relevant Truth...I guess Absolute Truth is what cannot be changed, whereas Relevant Truth is that which appears unchangeable at a certain time in history from the vantange point of any given finite human being. Being unchangeable makes something a Truth, but being changeable to one and unchangeable to another makes it Relevant.

Hmm.
More later...

Hello!

Well hello, everyone. I've decided to start blogging so I can keep in touch with the many people I know, and hopefully bridge the gap between homes and countries.

I'll probably write more later..