First of all I want to give a big welcome to all new subscribers for joining me on my journey! I hope you get inspired. Maybe you even consider reassessing your own writing style. Let me know who you are and how you are getting on!
My ideas on topics to write about, never begin behind a computer screen. Mainly a consistent butt pain prevents me from sitting too long.
Most of the time ideas pop up in my head when I go out. Like this week. While I waited at the bus stop ‘Every day takes courage’ passed from behind me on the back of a runner’s t-shirt. Not even thinking about the meaning, my first thought was: Why put that quote on the back of a runner’s t-shirt?! Automatically my brain started translating the sentence into my native language, Dutch.
But before you continue reading try:
translating this sentence in your native language
It seems like an easy thing. Or not?
Every day = elke dag
Courage = moed
Then I stumbled on the word takes. Translating the verb TAKES literally, the sentence then means actually the opposite!
Elke dag neemt moed
Every day takes away your courage! Well, I do not think the running gear shop wants to pass along that message.
At moments like this the former policy advisor in me wakes up. I am eager to understand fully the meaning of this commonly used verb.
The Cambridge Dictionary is of great help AND causing confusion at the same time.
Here we go! Bear with me!
Takes = to remove something, especially without permission or to move something or someone from one place to another.
This sounds a bit weird as a runner moves forward on its own and definitly does not have to be moved by someone else.
Let’s try the next explanation:
…used when you want to mention something as a particular example of what you are talking about; when you cannot deal with an unpleasant situation like I can’t take it anymore!
I was surprised to read this. Maybe the message on the t-shirt is meant as a joke. You see someone running and it tells you that running is not fun and definitely not something to try out!
How about looking for a synonym
Yes! If you look into the synonym then TAKES can also be about endurance. To undergo a situation where you need a condition to withstand. So the message to me at the busstop is to use courage to endure every day.
Why spend a whole page unraveling one verb?
Well, it has all to do with understanding why I started my writing journey and what I found out.
So when you managed to read this post till the end -which by the way takes courage- let’s focus on your writing style today! Take a piece you wrote one year ago and read it again.
Does it reflect your inner personality? Or maybe something else?
Let me know!
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