Wordsmith Wednesday

The non-static, ever-morphing nature of language can leave us confounded at times.  A simple monosyllabic utterance can have so many meanings...some of which contradict each other.  Take for example the word "SICK."

sick (adj) - suffering from an absence of physical health

unwell, ill, indisposed, ailing, nauseated, diseased, infected, feverish

sick (adj) - suffering from an absence of mental health

disturbed, troubled, distressed, loco, psychotic

sick (adj) -  especially unwholesome in nature

appalling, troubling, disgusting, morbid, grotesque, gruesome, sadistic, morbid, perverted, frightening, twisted, warped

sick (adj) - especially admirable in nature

impressive, astonishing, stunning, awesome, rad, groovy, tight, sweet, out-of-sight, mind-blowing, gnarly  

sic (v) - to incite to action (variant of "seek")

attack, ambush, assail, assault, pursue, strike

[sic] - (L) - "thus"; as in, "thus it was in the source I am quoting"; AKA: this is not MY mistake...I know better, thank you very much!

It's beautiful, this thing we call language!  So don't allow yourself to be mystified or frustrated by the reality that the same word can mean the opposite of itself!  I mean...c'mon!  That's totally SICK!  And so is this cute little ditty by Shel Silverstein:

 Sick

'I cannot go to school today, '

Said little Peggy Ann McKay.

'I have the measles and the mumps,

A gash, a rash and purple bumps.

My mouth is wet, my throat is dry,

I'm going blind in my right eye.

My tonsils are as big as rocks,

I've counted sixteen chicken pox

And there's one more-that's seventeen,

And don't you think my face looks green?

My leg is cut-my eyes are blue-

It might be instamatic flu.

I cough and sneeze and gasp and choke,

I'm sure that my left leg is broke-

My hip hurts when I move my chin,

My belly button's caving in,

My back is wrenched, my ankle's sprained,

My 'pendix pains each time it rains.

My nose is cold, my toes are numb.

I have a sliver in my thumb.

My neck is stiff, my voice is weak,

I hardly whisper when I speak.

My tongue is filling up my mouth,

I think my hair is falling out.

My elbow's bent, my spine ain't straight,

My temperature is one-o-eight.

My brain is shrunk, I cannot hear,

There is a hole inside my ear.

I have a hangnail, and my heart is-what?

What's that? What's that you say?

You say today is...Saturday?

G'bye, I'm going out to play! '