I found this really interesting and like what you had to say. I understand how important words are and get where you are coming from. However, since I all so didn't really get the best education in the world. I'm all ways behind every one else but that doesn't really matter to me any more.What you said here really makes sense. I all so love the quotes you chose from Caroll's works.

I've read your reasons for writing, and i thought you might be interested in hearing mine.I write because, when I read a good story, something comes over me- it's like magic, and I'm sure you know the feeling too.So I write because *I* want to be able to do that, to catch someone in my net of words. I guess you could say I write for power- power over the reader.I've never heard anyone say this before, so call me wierd and I won't really mind. I write for power.

I agree whole-heartedly with this Issue. [Ahem, it's the first one I've read, but it was glaring when I got to the home page for the last -twenty-times- I've logged in, so I was drawn to it immediately.] The essay you wrote was wonderful, I really hope you did well with the University of Chicago. As for myself, I didn't take it seriously enough- end suffered a lot of rejections because of it. And I'm a serious writer who is serious about -words-. I can't explain how ironic and frustrating it was, that for the one time it actually -mattered- and counted for my future, I didn't use that opportunity to really push home and use my words to really convey who I was.

Rejection letters always have something about, Blah-blah: Many applicants. Blah-blah: Good credentials, extra curricular activities, SAT I/SAT II scores. Blah-blah: Sincerely sorry. And, most people would have asked, How then, could I have set myself apart from the people who made it in.

And I sincerely believe it's in the essay. Not just because of the talent they might exhibit when writing, but because of the -power- and -poignancy- of the words themselves.

There's an unseen wind behind words that drives, that makes us fall for promises, that hurts us when people insult us, that makes us remember a mother's admonishments WAY after a mid-life crisis- professions of faith, prayers- and yes, even the unseen wind in a college essay.

Words, somehow, though fickle, still express a transient sincerity, that, even actions could not clearly define. Words can cause misconceptions or bring crystal clarity. Declare war, or bring about peace. And I can't understand how grossly people mistreat words, and degrade words until there is no more importance left in the spine of speech. It's just some scraggly, lifeless little thing. It frustrates me the most.

I have a habit of correcting people's grammar and spelling, even if we're an AIM conversation. My boyfriend's a Virgo, so it was bound to get on his nerves one day, and he couldn't go much longer without addressing it:

"Geez, your correcting everything."

Me: "*you're. And, yes I am."

Him: "Why?"

Me: "..."

It's not that I just am -that- sinister to correct people, and -that- vain to bring their mistakes to attention- but not -everyone- has this same reverence for words. I wrote on Gilee7's review just -today- in fact, even the importance of the f-word and all the aesthetics that come along with it. It could make or break a sentence, and then a whole piece, and in turn, a medium through which the message is expressed, and then the message itself, and then the writer becomes inefficient, obsolete, almost, nonexistent. Words are expression. They are art. They are emotions. They are powerful. They're the bundle inside of us that we define in order to bring clarity and understanding to who we are. Basic -words- like, Who, Why, Where, When, How- express -GREAT- truths and realizations of things we would -not- have looked to if -not- for these words.

I sorely wished more people could read your issue. Because, you put it so well in saying: "Weak though they may be, ineffectual though they undoubtedly are, words are the only means we have to express the torrents that are human emotions—to express our very sentience. We are tortured by the knowledge of a world so vast, so complex, that we cannot hope to see it all—we thirst for experience beyond our own limited understanding, and we use language to share with others and to learn from them what we cannot know ourselves. We use words to escape the isolation of being human. They are beautiful, they are vital, and we need them to satisfy our souls."

I couldn't have said it better myself.

Thank you for the good read, the encouragement through your writing, for bringing importance to something people take advantage of too often without appreciation and -thank you- for reinforcing what we writers stand for!

interesting essay. writing is really an art, and i agree with the reasons you list for writing... writing is surreal... i often find myself writing just so i can make the impossible finally possible- in some way or other... and on a completely different note, it's interesting to find someone who picked the same essay question for the univ. of chicago as i did... #4 of 2004 right? haha, i did the platypus...

I really like this column and I totally understand how so many people take the English language for granted today. In school I take French, and you have to know the exact word for the certain thing you want to say. There are no dumbed-down slang words for people who don't care to learn some new vocabulary. Instead of saying "Hey, I want some apples," those speaking the French language would very politely say "Bonjour. Je voudrais des pommes, s'il vous plait." which translates into a more polite and grammatically correct version.

I have talked on occasion with many people who have an aversion to using or listening to words beyond their vocabulary. Honestly, I've found much more enlightenment listening to those who don't filter out all the intellectual aspects of their speech and looking up interesting words that I didn't know before. Subsequently, I run off to happily use my new word in any sort of context I can find.

So, what I'm trying to say(should have shortened it) is that the English language is sorely misused. I admit to my occasional use of slang with my fmaily and friends, but otherwise, it just comes across as annoying when people ask you not to use big words...like "audible". O, big scary word!

"The grocers’ apostrophe, as you say . . . seems to me to be a grammatical error. At least, using your example—“Cabbage’s – 0.70 per kilo”. . . the price per kilo doesn’t belong to either the single cabbage or the many cabbages. You’re exactly right—cabbage’s refers (or should, if it were punctuated correctly) to an inanimate plural object, and so should be cabbages . . . simply a plural noun.Anyone who puts an apostrophe near something like that is no grammarian, just plain confused."

this was interesting to me, as i found now grammatical error in “Cabbage’s – 0.70 per kilo”, or perhaps i am mistaken, but if there was no apostrophe in "Cabbage's" then that would make it a plural noun which would be- i agree -grammatically correct. however, if the apostrophe was after the 's' then if would indicatethat something belonged to many cabbages yet there is nothing there for them to posess. the apostrophe in front of the 's' could mean that there is something that a single cabbage posesses, but again there is nothing to posess. i have just repeated all that you said, and regarding that it would seem that you were correct and im just some stupid person who feels like rewriting other peoples' work, but you seemed to have forgotten that an apostrophe 's' isnt always a...posessive apostrophe i guess you could say? "cabbage's" could also mean "cabbage is" so the apostrophe in “Cabbage’s – 0.70 per kilo” wouldnt be the error, since it could just mean 'cabbage is 0.70 per kilo'. if thats the case, then the punctuation error would be the...uh, goddamnit i forgot the name for it...this thing: - ...haha well im going to bed now its 2:00 am, im terribly sorry if ive waisted your time which i probably have, good night

I must say that I found your essay very interesting. You have expressed an idea that only barely lingered in the back of my mind that I never fully journeyed in depth. I find your views refreshing and unique yet I also find myself nodding along, agreeing with you. In enjoyed reading this and wait with great anticipation for your next issue. Until then,

Vicki

I congratulate you on your courage to tackle such a interesting subject for your essay. Instead of using words to write about a subject, you used words as the subject. Quite refreshing and a bit eye-opening in fact. It made me think and I believe that too many are taking actual words for granted. In ending, I find this to be an excellant essay and I will look forward to your next issue (where ever it may end up lol).

awesome essay.

also, i was just curious...did you ever post anything on the barrowdowns before it went totally forum-based. i know i've seen your name somewhere, and i was wondering if that was it.

Excellent essay. I've been reading your column for a long time, but haven't commented. The guilt is overbearing, and the review button for a story doesn't intimidate as much, so here I am. Commenting ... yes...

I was very pleased to see someone touch on the issue of people and their lacking usage of their own language. Quite honestly, it's only slightly pathetic that people fail to understand the major way they communicate with one another. More than once I've ventured among the fiction on this site, and have been sorely disappointed. People need to understand not only the intelligence that knowing the English language gives, but also the ability in which they can affect people when they use it. It's quite amusing to amaze another individual by speaking articulately.

Ah ... self-release, that above ringding is ... I apologize. Really, I'm just expressing my gratitude for this very interesting article. I very much appreciated it. Until your next addition, I suppose. Ta!