Ineffable – too great or extreme to be
expressed or described in words
O my stars, I love this word. Like seriously love it … and
yet, it’s one of those words that I largely forget to use in day to day
conversation. Some famous writerly person once said that the best writers are
the best readers, and it’s true! I found this word in a novel I was reading
recently and it literally stopped my world. Like I paused mid-sip of my tea to
just chew over the deliciousness of it, twirling it around in my tongue like a
decadent treat.
It’s also a trickster sort of word, right? Calls to mind the
sort of lexicon that so many of us use in text messaging, our modern short
hand. Ineffable like not f-able, like it’s not going to happen. I know that’s
not the true meaning of the word, but I could see how it could be used in a
modern sort of capacity. Like Sam from undergrad used to say, shorthand is part
of the zeitgeist of our age – either I accept it or I make changes to show it’s
progress. She was right of course; abbreviations are everywhere … doesn’t mean I
have to like them. And the purist in me
doesn’t want to destroy this gorgeous word so I’ll stick to using this word for
what it means – beyond description, indescribably, inexpressible … sort of like
my love for it!
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