Proud to Be a Word Nerd!
August 22nd 2007 01:54
I'm a Word Nerd. Are You?
Brad Shorr, over at Word Sell, Inc., has designed a nifty little badge of honor for all of us bonafide, honest-to-goodness, word-nerd types to proudly display on our blogs to show the world that we are Word Nerds and we aren't ashamed of it!
After all, we writers love words! (Where would we be without them?) So, why not announce it to the world? Brad lists a few of the qualities of Word Nerds in his post, Be a Word Nerd!, inviting anyone who sees him/herself in that description to grab a badge (available in a variety of designer colors) and post it with pride.
Brad also gives all of us Word Nerds the opportunity to test our degree of "word-nerdiness," through one of the four vocabulary tests he periodically offers on his blog, all of which are conveniently listed and linked to in this post: Word Nerds Unite! (though the testing isn't a requirement for downloading and displaying the badge.)
Some Surefire Signs that You Are a Word Nerd
-Whenever you write, your dictionary, thesaurus, and Strunk and White absolutely must be within reach.
-You read the dictionary for pleasure.
-You relish every opportunity to use precise terminology--not primarily to impress people, but rather because it's important to you to convey the exact meaning of your thoughts.
-You're forever correcting people--even (gasp!) in public--when they've use a word incorrectly. (Either that, or you have to bite your tongue to keep yourself from doing so.)
-When people pause while speaking, to think of the word they want--or even to simply catch their breath--you're ready to jump right in and generously provide the term they were (obviously) looking for.
-You can sometimes sit there for literally hours trying to think of just the right word, before your semantic sensibilities will be satisfied enough to let you release a piece of writing to the public eye. (Well, OK, maybe you don't sit there the whole time, but the dilemma is always in the back of your mind, and that piece must absolutely be put on hold until you've solved it!)
Does any of that sound like you? If so, you're a definite candidate for the Word Nerd badge! (You may even have a few Word Nerd activities of your own that I haven't mentioned. If so, please feel free to share them in Comments.)
If you can relate to any of what has been written here, please read the section that follows and consider taking the next logical step.
Word Nerds of the World, Unite!
So, why don't all we Word Nerds of the world--or at least of the internet/blogosphere--unite in joining this elite semantic sister/brotherhood! Let's stand together in defense of the written and spoken word, used with precision and premeditation! (No, it isn't a crime.) Let's join Brad in sharing, with all those we meet in cyberspace--or anyplace--our unquenchable enthusiasm for the sensational subtleties of the well-placed word and well-turned phrase.
Feel free to visit Brad's Word Sell, Inc. blog, at one of the above links, to learn more about the Word Nerd movement, and if you should be so inclined, to offer your support. And while you're there, don't forget to pick up a badge, in your favorite color, and take advantage of this opportunity to show the world that you are indeed a Word Nerd!
From one Word Nerd to another,
Jeanne
Note: I'm unfortunately unable to add the Word Nerd badge to my already overloaded sidebar, which is the only reason why, for the time being, its display will need to be limited to this blog post.
Did you enjoy this post? Don't leave me lonely--Please comment!
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