Addiction

I will be the first to confess, there is a characteristic of my personality some may find somewhat abnormal, and others straight-out anomalous. It is a trait that causes me to engage in a certain activities I, like a certain group of people, find exhilarating while others see it as a petrifying act that might as well lead to death. You may feign a fake smile, hiding a censorious grimace when I say this characteristic, this addiction, doesn't vex me.

Please, ease your tense assumptions and judgments. Lend me your ear, for only a moment or two, so you can fully comprehend my addiction without false assumptions and unfair rulings.

Alas, there is no cure for my addiction (cue shudders and appalling gasps). In fact, my family, who is aware of my "problem", supports me and my compulsive decisions. It is quite all right, for there are many literary and language fanatics who, like me, have the uncontrollable urge to strengthen their writing and speech with the use of unfamiliar diction and enticing terminology.

You see, the activities I engage in are quite exciting, and it is quite easy to jump aboard the bandwagon and become a logophile like me. All that is required of you are the following:

· A multitude of reading material, from periodicals, to novels and just about anything in between, all ranging in difficulty.

· Time to delve into the vast and astounding worlds within your abundance of reading materials.

· The dedication to dissect, interpret and comprehend the literary works you read (so you will be able to relate the new diction you learn to certain situations).

· A positive attitude and the willingness to learn!

I recently cracked open a copy of William Faulkner's Absalom, Absalom! As I submerged myself into the pages of the novel, I soon became overwhelmed by words I hadn't seen before, nor had even the slightest indication of what the word pertained to. Conviviality (pleasant), verisimilitude (appearance of being true) and triumvirate (a group of three sharing authority) were just a few of the dozens of words that are infrequent to today's lifestyles and cultures that I found within Faulkner's novel. I hope to change that one day.

Reading such literature and absorbing the extensive vocabulary that emulates from their pages is one of the many joys I experience while being a logophile, and I feel it is my obligation to continue educating myself and others on the lures and majestic qualities of the words behind the English language. Have a brilliant time pursuing all these new and outstanding words, and do not forget to use them whenever you are given the opportunity, for everyone will prosper.

Begin your journey towards being a logophile by scouring the dictionary for the definitions to these three words:

· Abnegation

· Precocity

· Ostensible