How often do we honestly understand what we are saying? I know I can ramble on and on and on and only half the time does the person I am speaking to understand what I am trying to tell them. . . But how often do I understand what I am saying?
I am going to take a few ‘famous' phrases and break them down.
‘Once Upon a Time'
. . . oh the classic beginning to the classic fairytales. But what does it mean?
Meaning:
Once: 1. at one time in the past; formerly
2. a single time
Use:
Once = At one single time in the past.
Meaning:
Upon: 1. immediately or very soon after
2. on the occasion of
Use:
Upon= Soon after the occasion.
Meaning:
A: 1. not any particular or certain one of a class or group
Use:
A= A particular or non particular person.
Meaning:
Time: 1. of, pertaining to, or showing the passage of time.
Use:
Time= Showing the passage of time.
Finished sentence:
Once Upon A time = At one single moment in the past, soon after the occasion, a particular or non particular person showing the passage of time. .. (And so the sentence would continue.)
Does that make sense? I mean. . honestly. .. does that make sense to you?
Let's do another. . .
The End
The famous two last words in Movies, Books, Plays, and occasional even songs! But what does it mean?
Meaning:
The: 1. used, especially before a noun, with a specifying or particularizing effect
Use:
The (Yeah this one is pretty self explanatory)
Meaning:
End: 1.the furthermost imaginable place or point
2.termination; conclusion
Use:
End= Conclusion or Termination
Finished product:
The End= The Conclusion or The Termination.
So. . . at the end of the story, that's the conclusion? The characters don't just die. What happens afterwards? Yes the part of their story that is being shared is over but their story still goes on. Why don't we ever share that part? Why don't we talk about what happens after our hero/heroine saves the world?
Alright I am going to do one more example. These two words mean more broken down than they ever could together and they are the inspiration for this entire post.
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| Evie |
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| Inara |
Unconditional Love. I couldn't find any better example in the world to explain these two words together than my two beautiful nieces.
Meaning:
Unconditional: 1. not limited by conditions
Use:
Unconditional= Not limited by conditions
Meaning:
Love: 1. a feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection
Use:
Love= A feeling of warm personal attachment and deep affection
Finished product:
Unconditional Love= Not limited by any condition, a feeling of warm personal attachment and deep affection.
This is how my two nieces feel about me. And when I am with them it doesn't matter how many other things I need to get done, it doesn't matter what jobs need my attention. They hold all of my attention. They love me unconditionally.
So, if you broke down every sentence you have ever written or said, how much of it would make sense? (Honestly, more than most would think)
What sentence/ phrase do you want to break down to see what it really means?
