Words define our place in the Universe, our community, and our humanity. We need to express our feelings, ideas and goals; so we use words. Humans use words, nearly to the overt exclusion of our other modes of expression. In particular, when we are not face-to-face, such as now. And when we do, we need to bear in mind that words alone seldom carry much emotional freight. This is the treacherous realm of the casual email, where meaning is colored by the mood of the recipient rather than the sender. Consequently, we must choose our words with care and use them with as much precision as we can.

Yet to use words that are precise, often requires effort on both sides of a conversation. A reader must be aware of special terms and their meaning before they can successfully decipher a complex message. A writer must take pains to ensure that they are using any special terms correctly. Without BOTH efforts, a message will very likely be misconstrued.

So, a glossary of special terms is very helpful to both reader and writer. Many writers feel this instinctively, and include one in their books or on their websites. Yet many readers don't use them, whether out of laziness or arrogance or just plain ignorance. On the other hand, there are writers who believe that their writing is somehow touched by the Gods and the reader will magically absorb the writer's idiosyncratic usage. These folks NEED a clue-by-four.

Spirituality is a tricksy, mine-laden subject that demands a very precise and coherent vocabulary. It's hard to be clear if two sides of the discussion use the same words differently. That is why I try to find words that have been lost in time, so that an old concept has it's own precision brought forward to us moderns. Often generating the common vocabulary forces me and my readers to re-examine the glossaries and promotes better understanding by ensuring that we are all on the same page, if not the same paragraph! That's why I use words like Twyern, Gidden, and Weardian instead of the clumsy work-arounds that Standard English uses for those same concepts...they state concisely what the concept IS.

I was talking to Steve P. on the way to the Blot Saturday; he has been very helpful when I've needed words brought forward from Anglo-Saxon. It seems he was looking at the roots for "God" and "Goddess". Turns out "Goddess" is a swiped word that didn't exist in English prior to the 14th(I think he said)century. If you go back to the AS the actual word, when brought forward is "Gidden". I like it, God and Gidden.

I've used several brought forward words in Twyern, "twyern" included. Gidden has a good feel and I think it will be adopted as well. Every now and then, I'm struck by the importance of language in building a tradition and a community. Words are more than placeholders for ideas, tho, they are that as well. Words define boundaries and either allow or curtail discussion on concepts within a culture. Hence the words are the roots of a community and from them grow the defining boundaries. Imagine a Christian having to explain salvation without the use of the word "sin".