‘Words matter’ has become a mantra of sorts over recent years. I feel as though it may have peaked 3 or 4 years ago, but I look forward to some geeky reader (are you there dear elder son?)  providing me with some accurate data on that.

‘Of course, words matter’ is a simple response to the assertion. But, equally, – as any fule kno – actions speak louder than words. (It is a distressing sign of my increasing befuddlement and the debilitating effects of too much information technology and yes, exposure to far too many words, that I have had to do a web search to retrieve that metaphor.)

On a superficial note, in relation to the significance of words – the thought of incipient dementia has unsettled me – temporarily, I hope – and distracted me from attempting more profundity – please may I encourage the revival of a couple – or more accurately a few – Latin terms?

(We were always taught that a couple is two, while ‘a few’ requires at least three. Is that ‘an actual rule’ and if so, is it one that the younger generation –  Generation Alpha, is apparently their label  – would recognise?)

So, to begin with, there is ‘prima facie’, which we can translate as either ‘at first glance’ or ‘at first sight’. It seems unlikely that the distinction between those two translations[1]  will be critical – unless, perhaps, I am on the wrong end of an argument, in which case it may well assume much greater significance. (Old legal habits die hard!) What’s the advantage of using the Latin? – well it saves a word. And I would add in its favour that it trips off the tongue more readily.

Pondering why that might be, I count the syllables in both versions. There seem to be 4 in each. Doubting myself, I recount and decide that perhaps ‘first’ has two syllables. It occurs to me that despite having top grades in all my English exams – (well all the ones that counted!) – I can’t tell you precisely what a syllable is. 😲 [For those of you, like me, for whom emoticons are largely a foreign language, this is translated as Shocked face emoji]

I will put to one side this dispiriting fact – “Thou shouldst not have been old till thou hadst been wise!” [Fellow Lear fans may find this production interesting – Play of the Month | King Lear – BBC Shakespeare Archive]- and instead, will joyfully report to you that there is a website devoted to the subject of syllables.

I love the look of its inspirational homepage so much that I am going to reproduce it here in full.

And here is the link About HowManySyllables.com

Interesting to see that it is a private limited company based in New York.  Perhaps we, the Library that is, should try to link up with them? Our recent Readathon made me very keen to build on the potential of an international network of libraries. Perhaps it should not be confined to libraries but extended to logophiles of all descriptions?

Anyway, my allotted time for this blog is almost up.

I am not going to allow the knowledge that – whether accompanied by dementia or not, Death itself cannot be too far round the corner and yet in all the time I have been given – (but – Is Life a gift or a burden?  -we must have an Assisted Dying debate at the Library soon [If you would like to help organize one please get in touch]) – I haven’t succeeded in mastering the rudimentary rules of my native language – to depress me.

 (And if you have untangled the preceding, highly convoluted, and arguably stylistically, possibly also grammatically, deeply flawed sentence without undue irritation may I be the first to congratulate you on your good taste and breeding.)

But I had better quickly tell you those two other expressions. Inter alia – amongst other things – (again a word saved)   and ‘pro tem’ – for the time being; another word saved. And the beauty of these two is that you don’t have the potential pronunciation problem of prima facie. (I confidently go these days with ‘Primer Faye she’.  (Apologies again that the International Phonetic Alphabet  – not to be confused with its spoken word relative is another of the countless lacuna in my education. (I blame the system!  😊)

That’s all folks.

An ongoing thank you to all our Library volunteers and supporters. I hope you keep well.

PS That contentious use of ‘keep’ – and its usefulness when walking dogs in areas which are signposted ‘Keep dogs on leads’ could be a good starting point for next time! 😉

PPS – You might enjoy this Merriam Webster link. Couple vs. Few vs. Several: Usage Guide | Merriam-Webster.