One of my favorite features of Small Town's newspaper is the 30 Seconds column. I have mentioned it before—you can call anonymously and leave a voice mail message about anything you want to say as long as you aren't foul and you don't call someone a son of a bitch. Quite often, people call to gripe about or praise the syndicated columnists on the editorial page.
Some people like Cal Thomas, some people think he's a hypocritical pig. Some people love Maureen Dowd, and some people think she is venomous and imbalanced. People form their opinions of the editorial writers based on their political and religious leanings, and they can be very black and white when they decide who to agree with.
But one 30 Seconds comment showed so much insight and thoughtfulness, I was proud to be a citizen of Small Town. The caller complained that some of the columnists use words that were too big and unfamiliar. "We are simple townfolk here," he said, or maybe it was a she. "We need plain speaking people to write for the paper."
Oh. We are simple townfolk, so that means we have a limited vocabulary. That means we don't own dictionaries, or if we do we can't be bothered to crack them open. Newspapers are already written at a 6th-grade reading level. I suppose the caller thinks we should be spoon-fed the news with a Dick and Jane reader with words no more than one syllable each. I bet he understands the word "lazy," but I wonder if he understands the word "ambition" or "initiative" or "get-your-nose-out-of-the-comics-and-read-a-book-once-in-a-while."
I don't have a huge vocabulary, but I'm hardly a moron. If I read an unfamiliar word that I can't define in its context, I look it up. It's part of the learning process, which is something that should last a life time, not something that stops when you dropped out of school in the 9th grade because all that book learning was too much work.
I may be a proud citizen of Small Town, and someone passing through might even think I am one of the townfolk, but that doesn't have to make me simple minded. Just to see for sure, I took this little quiz to test my vocabulary. Now I'm going to have to look up "ameliorated."
Some people like Cal Thomas, some people think he's a hypocritical pig. Some people love Maureen Dowd, and some people think she is venomous and imbalanced. People form their opinions of the editorial writers based on their political and religious leanings, and they can be very black and white when they decide who to agree with.
But one 30 Seconds comment showed so much insight and thoughtfulness, I was proud to be a citizen of Small Town. The caller complained that some of the columnists use words that were too big and unfamiliar. "We are simple townfolk here," he said, or maybe it was a she. "We need plain speaking people to write for the paper."
Oh. We are simple townfolk, so that means we have a limited vocabulary. That means we don't own dictionaries, or if we do we can't be bothered to crack them open. Newspapers are already written at a 6th-grade reading level. I suppose the caller thinks we should be spoon-fed the news with a Dick and Jane reader with words no more than one syllable each. I bet he understands the word "lazy," but I wonder if he understands the word "ambition" or "initiative" or "get-your-nose-out-of-the-comics-and-read-a-book-once-in-a-while."
I don't have a huge vocabulary, but I'm hardly a moron. If I read an unfamiliar word that I can't define in its context, I look it up. It's part of the learning process, which is something that should last a life time, not something that stops when you dropped out of school in the 9th grade because all that book learning was too much work.
I may be a proud citizen of Small Town, and someone passing through might even think I am one of the townfolk, but that doesn't have to make me simple minded. Just to see for sure, I took this little quiz to test my vocabulary. Now I'm going to have to look up "ameliorated."
| Your Vocabulary Score: B+ |
 You have a zealous love for the English language, and many find your vocabulary edifying. Don't fret that you didn't get every word right, your vocabulary can be easily ameliorated! |
Comments
They are Americans. What do you expect from a people who cannot spell "colour"? OW! Ooh! OW … Stop hitting me!
And you can have my "A" if you'd like.
Hee hee
M.B. is a grandpa again - little girl, Ella Grace, was born in Switzerland on Sunday. So nice to have a little girl as cousin to William. We are so proud of Rachel and Henry for so diligently setting about their task with such stunning results.
And you can have my "A+" on that test if you'd like it.
Dive, maybe it's the British who spell "color" incorrectly. Ever think of that? Ow.
Mme, congratulations to MB on the birth of another grandchild!
Wheresroxy, I'll keep trying for my own A, but thanks. If only they would tell me what I am getting wrong.
Just because you brought her up. Lately, when I read Maureen Odowd, I feel like I need to go take a shower...she's lost me.
Inherently flawed (the test, not us!).