The Love of Langauge and Words

I enjoy playing with words. While I cook I use Magnetic Poetry, the tiny word magnets used on refrigerators, to create sentences, phrases and poetry.

Mostly, I enjoy learning new languages. I am in the process of improving my Spanish fluency.

I could sit and study the Spanish language for hours. The words role of the tongue like a lullaby.  But mimicking the accent is too difficult.

I have realized that I can, at times, express myself better in Spanish. For example, the word love in Englsih holds different meanings. People say they love a lot of things, and sometimes the term is only meant to describe a strong liking for a certain person or thing. And who wants to actually say, “I strongly like you.” Weird…

But in Spanish there are many verbs used to clarify the how much one likes or loves a person or thing:

• Agradar (to like it ok)
• Gustar (to like)
• Interesar (to have interest)
• Importar (to have importance)
• Encantar  (to be enchanted)
• Fascinar (to be fasinated )
• Querer (to care for or to want)
• Amar  (to love)

(Note: the verb amar is only used if one truly loves or is passionate about someone or something.  It’s not a commonly used word like love. )

There are thousands words and phrases within a language that can be used to express oneself in writing and conversation. Studying two or more languages also enables one to communicate with others and experience a distinct and separate culture outside of one’s own.