The WordSmith
by Darin M. Bush
Hammer and Anvil
When most people think of the word “smith”, they think of the
blacksmith. They picture an anvil and a hammer. There are other kinds of smiths,
e.g.: coppersmiths, silversmiths. The term smith refers to someone who changes
raw materials into something purposeful, perhaps even aesthetic.
A wordsmith is someone who takes raw material, i.e.: the
dictionary, and transforms it into something purposeful, e.g.: poetry, fiction,
oration. They are literally a smith of words. Wordsmiths fall into familiar
sub-categories. Toastmasters, clergymen, politicians, poets, playwrights,
leaders, authors, orators, teachers, and comedians are all wordsmiths in their
own fashion.
For the orator or author, the hammer and anvil are still
present. The pen is the hammer, moving quickly and deftly, changing words into
concepts. The paper is the anvil, holding stationary the words as they are
shaped and re-shaped. This shaping can be the pursuit of livelihood or the
fulfillment of passion.
I hope to show in these articles my passion for the craft of
wordsmithery, and the benefits it provides to people who wish to become orators
themselves. Anyone who belongs to Toastmasters, at any level, is a wordsmith by
association.
Let me finish this first article with an example of
wordsmithery, of what will appear in future articles. I am an amateur
wordsmith. This is not a derogatory concept. Amateur does not mean novice or incompetent.
The word amateur actually refers to someone who is driven to participate in an
activity merely by passion, not by material gain. I am proud to say I am an
amateur wordsmith.
Questions? Suggestions? Hammer out an email to the Tourette Tiger
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