The Word Elf

An elf, pondering the irony of words -- Illustration courtesy Wikipedia

by blogSpotter
I've always enjoyed words. They can be employed by writers and poets much as an artist uses crayons or pastels. A crayon has primarily one attribute to offer, color. A word has so many facets -- denotation, connotation, weight, cadence, source, and alternate shades of meaning. There are some words in English (surely other languages too) that have ironic, almost amazing second meanings. I've wondered if it's purely coincidence, or if some little sprite is at work in the mind of wordsmiths. I'll start with two trivial examples, where a word can be an antonym to itself:

oversight - (1) Act of error or omission (2) Act of careful observation and direction
cleave - (1) To hold tightly or adhere (2) To split or rend in two

How funny, that we can originate a word, this basic molecule of communication, and give it opposite meanings. Other words follow, that while not self-antonyms have amusing, maybe even eerie second meanings:

matter - (1) physical substance of the universe (2) A problem, an issue (3) Discharge from the eye (4) (verb) to figure as a significant factor
This word covers a gamut -- from deep philosophy to eye boogers. And a little more weird whimsy is added with the second meaning, "problem". Is the Word Elf up to no good again? Maybe this is coincidence, or maybe there's some deep-seated phenomenon that tethers these separate meanings to one word.

make-up - (1) Basic constitution (2) Facial cosmetics (3) Act of catching up, reparation or amends
On first appearance, the first two meanings are nearly antonyms -- or are they? The Word Elf is confounding us again with issues of meaning. Depending on context with the previous two words, you can be discussing deep physics or mascara that runs. "What is the make-up of matter" versus "What is the matter with your make-up?"

race - (1) A human subspecies or animal breed (2) A competition whose objective is to complete a goal or cross a finish line first
This one has some thought-provoking ironies (albeit racist in nature) although the two meanings have wholly separate origins, and finally met in an English noun of the same spelling. Perhaps the Word Elf is in actuality a Word Demon, and he is goading us with his trident.

I always thought that wordplay was purely the province of authors and poets -- not true, the more I observe. If you speak or write at all, your choice of words will carry your own thoughtful message -- and may be also laden with another cargo of what some nefarious wordsmith intended. The Word Elf, if he exists, is apparently fond of puns. They needn't be obvious or blunt -- sometimes subtle ironies are the most interesting.

© 2006 blogSpotter.