Iron(y)
06/08/12
Recently, as I saw my wife ironing some clothes with her electric iron, I thought about the meaning of the words “iron” and “irony” and again marveled at the great variety of English words, the wide diversity of their meanings and the amazing irregularity of their pronunciations. It may be a bit ironic to consider something made of iron as weak and temporary. Iron is a basic metal that has been utilized by human beings from ancient times. In the first book of the Bible, the name of a man who forged tools out of iron is noted (Genesis 4:22), and in the last book of the Bible there is a vision of one who will rule the nations “with a rod of iron” (Revelation 19:22). “Iron Age” denotes the period when iron-edged tools, implements and weapons began to be used. Nowadays, a housewife may use one kind of “iron” to press clothes while her husband uses another kind of “iron” to hit his golf ball. We are happy that the “iron curtain” that separated the communist countries of the East from the democratic countries of the West has now been removed. When a “y” or an “i-c” is added to “iron,” however, not only the meaning but the pronunciation of the letters also changes. “Irony” denotes “a method of humorous or sarcastic expression in which the intended meaning of the words used is the direct opposite of their usual sense.” For example, “the speaker was using irony when he said that the stupid plan was ‘very clever’.” And to greet a person arriving late for an appointment with the words “My, you’re early,” would be considered ironical. During my stay in Japan, I sometimes considered the traditional morning greeting in Japanese, which literally means “it is early” or “you are early” to be ironical also. (992)
Hometown Family Reunion
06/08/16
My hometown, in which I and all of my five siblings were born and raised, is located north of Chicago, just south of the state line that separates the states of Wisconsin and Illinois. My parents both died when they were seventy years old, but now all six of their children are older than that. Three of their children have three children each and the other three have four children each. At the present time, there are 30 great grandchildren, all of whom were invited to a family reunion in our hometown the middle of August. One of my younger sisters still lives in that town and her husband, one of my childhood friends, has served as the town’s mayor. It was their house, with its large lawn that served as the basic meeting place, although we also met in a room of the town’s Senior Center. Eight years ago, we held a similar reunion, but this year the number increased due to a couple of marriages and some births. All 6 children attended plus 17 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren from six countries (U.S.A., Japan, Thailand, Netherlands, Central African Republic, Canada), eight states (Illinois, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, Florida, New Mexico) and Washington, D.C. for a total of 55, including spouses. We had a very enjoyable time meeting relatives, talking, eating and playing games together. Some of the group went down to Lake Michigan to go swimming in the cool water. While we were together, we were reminded of the firm faith and fine example our parents provided for us. Although the family produced by my wife and me came from the most distant places, it was the only complete family that attended. The day after the reunion, our family members went together to the city of Chicago and visited certain famous places there, (993)
Insects
06/08/19
There are many different kinds of insects, most of which are not welcomed by human beings. Certain areas of the world seem to attract certain types of insects. In our home in Florida, we have seen many of the same kinds of insects we saw in Japan, including mosquitoes, flies, spiders, cockroaches and ants. A particular kind of ant that builds conspicuous mounds in our yard is called a “fire ant.” Before I was warned to keep away from them, I stepped on a mound and received many painful stings on my leg. While clipping bushes in the community cemetery, I have often encountered the large, artistic webs of spiders which were composed to ensnare an insect rather than a human being. Fortunately, we have not seen many cockroaches or mosquitoes around our house, but in the Dining Room, we often see a few flies that continue to bother us while we eat, flying from one table to another. During our recent family reunion in northern Illinois, we were molested by a certain kind of fly that I had not seen before in my hometown or elsewhere. It was smaller than a normal fly, but was able to bite like a mosquito. These flies seemed attracted to the white socks I wore with my tennis shoes and repeatedly irritated me by biting my legs through those socks, but they did not leave red spots which are left by mosquito bites. The word “bug” may be used to denote any kind of insect, but it has other meanings as well. It may refer to a mechanical or electrical defect. A “bug” may be the cause of a power outage. A small hidden device used for eavesdropping may also be called a “bug.” People with open minds may learn even from bugs or insects. In Proverbs 6:6, it is written: “Go to the ant . . . consider its ways and be wise.” (994)
Women Suffrage
06/08/22
The word “suffrage” has two very different meanings. It means both “a short intercessory prayer” and “the right or privilege of voting”. In the U. S. A., women did not officially receive the right to vote until the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was ratified on August 26, 1920, 86 years ago this week. That amendment was not simply the result of a suffrage. Many women had been actively working for many years to eliminate their suffering because of discrimination against them. The amendment simply states that “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.” Though the country was supposedly originally founded on democratic principles, obviously white, male citizens were in charge and given special consideration. Within a few years following the Civil War, constitutional amendments were passed that prohibited slavery and the denial of rights to citizens “on account of race, color or previous condition of servitude”, but according to judicial interpretations, such rights were limited to male citizens and the approval of this 19th Amendment was the result of 72 years of organized effort on the part of many women citizens, including Susan B. Anthony, a key figure in this effort who was arrested for registering and seeking to vote in a New York election in 1872. In some areas, August 26th is celebrated as Women’s Equality Day. In the ideal fellowship of Jesus’ followers, there is no discrimination of any kind. According to Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (995)
Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.
06/08/26
How do parents decide on the names of their children? That depends on many factors, including cultural and family traditions. In my family, the middle name of my elder brother is the same as our father’s name and my middle name is the same as one of our father’s brothers. We gave our elder son my name for his middle name and our second son was given the name of my brother for his middle name. In some families, a son is given the same name as his father, with the designation “Junior” following it. Many Americans will think of a famous judge on the Supreme Court when they read or hear the name Oliver Wendell Holmes, but the man who served on that court for 30 years was a “Junior,” having the same name as his father, who was an author, poet, lecturer, physician and ardent conversationalist. Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. was born on August 29, 1809, in Cambridge, Massachusetts; his mother was the daughter of Oliver Wendell. At Harvard, his classmates elected him class poet. Probably his most famous poem was “Old Ironsides,” a tribute to the American frigate USS Constitution, which had won a decisive victory in its encounter with a British frigate during the War of 1812. Although he became a doctor, he found greater satisfaction in teaching and writing—both poetry and prose. Not only was he a regular contributor to the Atlantic Monthly, he gave the magazine its name. He wrote novels as well as medical compositions and was a crusader against quackery. Popular articles he wrote for the Atlantic Monthly were collected into books, in one of which, entitled The Professor at the Breakfast Table, we find the following statement: “A moment’s insight is sometimes worth a life’s experience.” (996)
Timely Changes
06/08/29
Twenty-six years ago, on September 1,1980, in Japan, I began the “Daily Word” telephone service in English to provide informative, interesting, meaningful messages by a native speaker that people studying English could listen to at anytime of day or night. Seven years ago, on September 1, 1999, following my return to the United States of America, in response to the request of “Daily Word” listeners, I began this “Timely Words” webpage. The number at the end of this message indicates the number of “Timely Words” messages that have been transmitted. Two years ago, I considered closing this webpage at the end of August 2004 (see #777), as I was approaching 77 years of age, but the pleas of readers in Japan persuaded me to continue—even at a more relaxed pace. Now, the sustained effort of earnest volunteers has resulted in a new webpage and repository of former messages of both “Daily Word” and “Timely Words”. Since I have continued to compose 3 or 4 messages a week and it now requires more time for me to compose a message, I have decided that message #1000 is a good time to institute a change. Therefore, from September 1, 2006, I do not promise to add 3 or 4 messages a week. Rather, I will compose a message only when I feel like it and have the time. Also, the length and content of the messages may vary. In fact, it is possible (though unlikely) that sometimes I will compose more than 4 messages in one week, but I will escape from the pressure, and readers may spend more time reading the old messages, which are now available. Readers comments are welcome. (997)