If you’ve ever queried the power of the spoken word, you’ve never been a mother.
To get the truth of this, picture a supermarket queue at rush hour.
For the full Technicolor-wrap-around-sound version you’ll need a laden trolley, a couple of squalling, squabbling under-fives, their harassed mother desperate to get home and out of her work clothes to start preparing supper, a person in front of her with a fist full of discount coupons but whose forgotten their purse, someone who can’t resist handing out advice on parenting today, and a confectionary stand within grab reach.
The dialogue is universally played out in supermarket queues all over the world. Regardless of language difference the intent is the same. It’s a battle between the power of ‘I want.’ and ‘No.’ In the beginning stages of the drama ‘No’ has reasonable and polite public appendages. ‘No, you’ll ruin your appetite.’ ‘No, three chocolate coated frogs in one day is not good for you.’ ‘No.’ (pause) ‘Oh, look there’s cowboy riding a zebra in the car park. Shame, you just missed him.’ ‘No. Put that back!’ ‘No, No, NO!’
And if you’re still dithering about whether the spoken word has real power or not, you’ve never been a lover and whispered your soul secrets out loud. Or you’ve never been told someone close to you is extremely ill and dying, or that you haven’t got the job you applied for. Words have power. It’s not a debate. It’s a fact.
What is up for questioning is the nature or quality of that power and the degree to which we can consciously control it.
Belief in and reverence for the power of the spoken word has its roots deep in pre-literate history and is shared by many cultures. The most widely cited written reference in western civilization comes from the Bible. The Gospel According to Saint John, Chapter One starts:
'In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.'
The power of the spoken word, if Saint John's words are interpreted literally, is sufficient to create an entire world.
You may or may not believe a word can physically create hills, valleys, streams, oceans or even animals and people, but if you stop long enough to consider their truth, you’ll understand how words created you and your experience of the world.
How?
You are newly born. Whose words do you hear? What emotions do they carry? What messages do you receive about yourself and the world around you?
Words matter. They shape us. We become who we are through their impact: positive or negative.
Words are the conduit or vehicle through which we express ourselves. The intention behind their use is what powers or gives them energy to alter or transform.
Through becoming more conscious of how we use them, we have the potential to create positively or negatively. We can construct or destruct: harm or heal. If you are a mother do you sincerely choose to thwart your child through too many variations on ‘don’t touch’, ‘you’ll hurt yourself’, ‘can’t you do anything right’ messages? If you’re a teacher, a father, a friend, a relation, or a boss do you really intend to foster negativity? Whatever the relationship we have with anybody, what we do with our words always counts. As adults, the choice either way is ours.
PS. For all those mothers struggling with shopping and children at rush hour ‘No’ might be the right choice but in the interest of self-preservation and sanity, choose your fights!
For simple effective tips on using the power of words positively www.write-out-loud.com/ten-tips-on-using-positive-power-of-the-spoken-word.html">click here.
Susan Dugdale is a freelance writer, experienced drama and speech teacher who after all her years, is still in love with words. For suggestions on writing, rehearsing, researching, vocal variety, pace, diction and more, visit her site www.write-out-loud.com
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