big words...they aren't beyond the pale

I see that Jamie Lee Curtis has out a new book..."Big Words for Little People". I think this is a fabulous idea. I love words. And I love unique combinations of words. Sometimes, I research words. I'm a total geek that way.

Like once, I was researching an issue in intellectual property law and the opinion I was reading said something like, "The defendant's actions were beyond the pale." I had heard and even used the phrase "beyond the pale," but now suddenly, I was supposed to apply it to figure out if my clients' behavior was "beyond the pale". And, um, precisely what the heck is that? Just where is the "pale" so I know when I've passed it?

So yeah, I had to research that and it was fascinating. My associates were quite amused. One or two still tease me about it. Or being "hoisted by his own petard"? There's another interesting little phrase.

So I've always been a word geek.

I love the idea of challenging kids with words. When my girls were little and I didn't want to answer a question or I was tired of questions, I used big words. For awhile they would just look at me oddly. I'd given them an answer. An answer they didn't understand but since I'd answered it, they would stop beating me about the head and shoulders with their never-ending questions.

But do you know what happened? My kids ended up with huge vocabularies. I can't claim that I intended this result. I was really, truly just trying to stop the onslaught of those damn questions. But now they both use and understand words that have always bemused their teachers. And they leap through vocabulary tests with ease. Eldest "accidentally" almost won a definition-bee in 8th grade. She threw her answer in the final round because she didn't want to have to study and compete at the district level. (Nice. Huh? Continuing proof that 8th graders suck. Knock on wood...that's where Younger is now.) Hopefully, those vocabularies will pay-off at SAT/ACT time.

So if my girls were still little, I would snap up Jamie Lee's book in a heartbeat and read it all. the. time. It would be my favorite book to read. Cuz, as you all know, you have to read the same book again and again and again. Now I've got to go find a bunch of kids to buy this book for!

It's a book house.