Do you speak English?

I get the Merriam-Webster “Word of the Day.” I love subscribing to this free newsletter. It comes to my Inbox, bright and early, dependably. In fact, when I get up each morning at 3:30, there it is. Waiting. Patiently. It always seems to “Ding In” at 3:24.

Punctual. As Webster would say.

It is always a little bit of a surprise. You never know what the word will be. A lot of times I know it, loosely. But there are many occasions where there is learning to be done. Yesterday was Métier. met’YAY. It is a noun for a trade, or an occupation.

I can’t ever see me using Métier, in a sentence. I don’t want to sound like a Downton Abbey Snob or anything. “What is his Métier?” “Oh, he is a common Cobbler, I think.”

met’YAY.

See? You have to say it with a British/French accent in your head to get the feel of it. Try it again. There. Now you have it.

Anyway. Back to the Webster Word.

Today’s is “regardless”

A lot of people get this one wrong. They start their sentences with “irregardless.” For a long time, “irregardless” wasn’t even a word. But Webster had to make it one, because so many people were saying this wrong.

Webster has changed this way, over the years. Yes, Merriam-Webster had dummy-downed its Code of Ethics to reflect our current disregard for language, spelling, writing, and slang. Texting. Blah. They have had to add a slew of new entries. Things like: “selfie,” “tweep” “hashtag” and “unfriend”

I sort of long for the days when the Nuns would make us write something on the chalkboard 100 times, so we would never forget the spelling or grammar lesson. They drove the message home, in a convincing manner. Made it a habit. A habit.

Today, our language has taken on an entirely different demeanor.
how r u
k
ru going 2nite
ofc
cool c u there

I refuse. I am so Old School, I type out full words, and punctuation marks when I text. Albeit, I sometimes use voice recognition, and that can potentially go terribly, terribly wrong.

I might speak, “Mike, can you help me at the car?” and hit SEND. Then I look down and see, “Hike. Ban two. Roberta’s at the bar.” And all of a sudden, I’m like WTF in my head. Yes, there, in my head, I let the Acronyms fly. Like crazy. I certainly do. ROFL. ILY guys.

So. Yes.
Today’s Word. Regardless.
It means: Despite Everything

Regardless, anyway, anyhow, in any case, nevertheless, nonetheless, despite everything, in spite of everything, even so, all the same, in any event, come what may, still and all, irregardless…. just ask Merriam-Webster.

They have a way with words.

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“silence is the language of god,
all else is poor translation.”
― Rumi

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“Because without our language, we have lost ourselves. Who are we without our words?”
― Melina Marchetta, Finnikin of the Rock

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“Anyone can speak Troll. All you have to do is point and grunt.”
― J.K. Rowling, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

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“Meow” means “woof” in cat.”
― George Carlin

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