Say What You Mean | Previous Challenge Entry

how it works

TITLE: Say What You Mean | Previous Challenge Entry
By Marlene Custer
05/20/20
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While most people care diddley-squat for the study of language, I have had a strong attraction to it. For many years I taught young children how to read. Most teachers of young children try to say what they mean and mean what they say. I remember vividly of a rainy afternoon a number of years ago when I was shepherding twenty-some children between two buildings. A puddle had formed in a low spot on the sidewalk. The first several children carefully skirted around it as they hurried towards the door I was holding open for them. Then Daniel came to the puddle and stopped. Wanting to hurry him up, I said, “Come on, Daniel. Step on it!” Do I need to tell you what happened next? Of course, he stepped smack dab into the middle of the puddle!

Some years later I was enjoying an outing with fellow teachers in an Asian country. I usually stayed close to Dao because she could speak fairly good English. While on this particular outing we came to a swinging bridge that crossed a swift running creek. Moving gingerly I crossed with most of the other teachers, but Dao held back. Turning back to her I called, playfully, “Come on, Dao. Don’t be a chicken!” Later she asked me why I called her a ‘chicken’. “Should I be offended?” She asked. One of the many times I struggled to explain what I meant.

Several weeks later Dao was telling me that a fellow teacher was not going to go on an adventure that the rest of the staff was going on. She finished by flashing a grin and declaring, “She is chicken.” Dao is a quick learner.

Perhaps one of the most memorable language fails I encountered was in another small Asian country. Displayed along a well-traveled highway was a huge sign advertising a preschool. They boldly stated, “Growing plump, juicy, bright, happy children”. We often wondered what happened to those precious children when they graduated.

Ahh, language. How awesome to put sounds together and convey meaning! Not always an easy task. So don’t drop the ball—say what you mean and mean what you say!

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