Talk about power. Just like that =SNAP= a piece of vocabulary disappears from the planet. Takes a lot of nerve to decide a word is archaic. Or unnecessary. Just because it is not used by the masses. Constantly. Does that make it any less a word? Without a noble history? Or purpose?
I bought a 1966 Random House Dictionary Unabridged Edition for my desk at the library book sale. I love it! Big. Fat. Bulky. Bursting with the thousands of words between the covers.
We've all heard the term 'dumbing down' --come to think of it that term is probably in there somewhere --in reference to the current trends of our casual culture. I can think of no more glaring example than casting an infrequently used word into extinction. It's not spooky -- it is downright scary. Maybe nobody really frets about 'excuviate' ("to shed") being tossed into extinction. But the more important question to me is "What IF nobody cares?". Why not have fun by expanding your vocabulary and watch your friends' faces when you interject 'agrestic' ("rural") or 'nidderly' ("cowardly"), maybe even 'embrangle' ("to confuse") into a conversation.
OH! But you can't!!! Those don't exist anymore!!!!!
