By Bill Wilson
"Raise your words, not your voice. It is rain that grows flowers, not thunder." - Rumi
Words have always been important to me and being a journalist they are my tools. One of those tools is the dictionary and especially the printed (last press run for print) 23-volume Oxford English Dictionary (OED) which is considered the definitive record of the English language, featuring 600,000 words, 3 million quotations, and over 1000 years of English language use accumulated.
Growing up around word and creative people, reading was one of my first passions.
I started writing in high school as a sports stringer. Eventually I yielded a job as a copy boy at The Philadelphia Inquirer and then went onto journalism school.
Throughout the years as an editor I collected style books, dictionaries, and usage guides. One Christmas the OED was given as a joint Christmas present to my wife and I. Lugging one volume of the OED requires two hands (about 7 pounds) but the entire collection is in San Miguel de Allende with us today – a hefty treasure. And hopefully, our 23 volumes will make it to our fabulous Bibliotheca Pública, when we pass on.
BITS AND PIECES
Fun Facts
The first printing press in North America was established in present-day Mexico City in 1539 by publisher Juan Cromberger. It wasn’t until in 1638 that the first printing press in the British colonies arrived in Massachusetts from England.
The Golden Eagle is Mexico’s national bird. This eagle soars all over the continental U.S and even up to Canada, but south of the border the majestic bird has a special significance. It’s Mexico’s national animal, and even has a place on the country’s coat of arms. However, you won’t spot it in much of the country, as populations only tend to get as far south as Guadalajara.
You Don’t Say (Dichos)
"Perro que no anda no encuentra hueso." A dog that does not go out does not find the bone.
"El que tiene tienda que la atienda, o si no que la venda." Who has a store tends to it. If not, they sell it.
"El que no enseña, no vende." If you don’t show, you don’t sell.
Hasta el próximo mes!
Ideas and story submissions? insiderwriterswriters@gmail.com
Bill Wilson has been a journalist for more than 50 years from an editor and reporter from the United Nations to Cub Scout news. He’s also known as “The Weather Dude” and is a ham radio operator. wmhwilson.home@gmail.com
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