This blog is for everyone who uses words.

The ordinary-sized words are for everyone, but the big ones are especially for children.



Friday 24 April 2015

Word To Use Today: iktsuarpok.

Can you feel it?

Can you feel that slight uneasiness, that swift cold plunge of nausea, that wasn't-expecting-that-step qualm? 

It's not going away, either, is it? It's continuing. It's growing into a restlessness. You can't quite settle to anything because any moment now - 

 - you go and make a cup of tea, and find your hand is trembling a little as you pour the water.

You sit down at your screen and try to concentrate. But it's no good: every nerve in your body is stretching tight: you'll soon be at snapping-point.

Soon. It must be going to happen soon.

Suddenly you can't bear the silent screaming of your body any longer. It's intolerable.

You get up and go to the door, hesitate, but then open it and step outside. Look one way. Then the other.

You know it's coming.

Whatever it is.


Photo by Rear Admiral Harley D. Nygren

Word To Use Today: iktsuarpok. This is an Inuit word for the feeling of impatient anticipation that makes you go outside to see if anyone is coming.

It's a lot quicker than trying to describe it in English.

No comments:

Post a Comment

All comments are very welcome, but please make them suitable for The Word Den's family audience.