©Allen Merritt (2015)
I
love Word Play.
I
find Word Play helpful to engage my mind, interact with the world around me, as
stimulus toward changing perspective, finding humor and for turning things
around in such a way as to create a sense of the calm, cool and collected
within.
This
week I would like to share examples of Word Play, because I think once you play
it and see it in action, the results and outcomes speak for themselves toward
the subject of positivity.
First
of all, what is Word Play? According to Wikipedia, it’s a literary technique
used primarily for intended effect or amusement.¹ Personally, I find it fun
(amusement) and helpful (positivity).
Word
Play can be comprised of just about anything including but not limited to
jokes, puns, riddles, anagrams, innuendos, double entendres, phoneticals,
spoonerisms and more. When you need a little boost, a change in attitude or
even some self-assuredness, Word Play can help. Anyone can play.
Another
interesting effect of Word Play is how it allows you a chance to see into
something, make greater observations and take a look at things which at first
do not appear to be what they seem to be. Word Play is applicable to our daily
lives in that it renders us perspective and changes our perceptions. In many
ways it’s like looking at Magic Eye
picture. At first it appears to be what you initially perceive. But if you’re
good at looking deeper into the picture, you’ll find something else embedded
there.
Look
deeply into this photo and see if you notice anything embedded within it.²
I
love looking at Magic Eye art. While this is not Word Play per se, it
demonstrates the idea of looking into things outside initial impressions and
beyond the moment. In effect, you are manipulating words in a creative way.
In
a previous blog I focused on the word Stressed
as an example of Word Play. I discussed how turning it around creates the word Desserts.
This
game allows you to turn words around to find different meaning and revelation; or you can drop letters, add letters, silence letters or pronounce letters
differently to change the impact of the word.
Here
are some other examples:
Heart
Drop
the "T" and you have the word "Hear"
Drop
the "H" and you have the word "Ear"
For
me, this means you hear with the ear of your heart.
How
about something fun like the word Disco?
Learning
to dance is as simple as telling your feet where to go.
“Dis-co
here and Dis-co there!”
I’ve
often responded to people telling me they needed a drink of water by saying, “Wat-er
you mean?”
Dare
can be, “Dare she goes!”
Window
might mean, “Wind-dow you think we’ll eat supper?”
I know, I know! It’s silly, but that is the fun of Word Play.
I
feel lighter and humored at seeing things from another angle.
How about words
that mean the same forward as they do backwards: mom, wow, racecar or pop.
Think
about what happens when you reverse a word. Sometimes it goes from negative to positive.
Loop
= Pool
Evil
= Live
Rats = Star
These
are small examples of self-enlightenment via Word Play. Once you get into the
swing of it you will find yourself doing it more often, especially at times
when you are looking to improve a situation or an unfavorable moment.
I see
signs all over the place and find humor in them because of Word Play. I may
hear something on the radio or television that sparks a moment to see
something in a different way. Some of it’s silly. Some of its grandpa humor.
Some fall into the potty humor category, but it doesn’t matter. Word Play puts you in the drivers seat so you can visualize a different outcome than what's in front
of you right now and that is the purpose of the game; main point being, turn your life
around. Look for the positive in everything. What have you got to lose?
Nothing!
Give it a whirl!
Cheers!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Word_play
(Viewed on 5/30/2015)¹
https://www.pinterest.com/pin/30821578672103062/
(Viewed on 5/30/2015)²
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